This semester at Ohio State, I pledged a co-ed service fraternity, Alpha Phi Omega. Ever since high school, I have always done service events, such as serving meals for the homeless or helping run a vacation bible school kids camp. I was told about this fraternity by some friends who had joined the previous semester, so I decided to try it out, and it turned out to be a great fit. After the nine-week pledging process was completed, I had already fell in love with the organization. The best part about the whole thing is that the organization is filled with people who have the same mindset as me, wanting to get their own work done at college but selflessly helping others along the way.
Since joining this fraternity, I have had many opportunities to do service in and around Columbus. One of the most intriguing experiences I have had is when I helped the children, around 9 years old, of Somalian refugees with their after school homework. A few other and I drove to a neighborhood filled with refugees, and when we got out of the car, I was shocked to see how excited the kids were to see us, because they knew we were coming. This was not the first time the fraternity had done this, and because of that, the parents were happy to see us as well. For the next two hours, I helped the kids with their various subjects, math, science and reading. Not only was it a big help for the kids, but it was really cool from my point of view to help with homework that I did many years ago.
Alpha Phi Omega not only helped me give back to my community, but it was also a great way to meet new people, and I am extremely happy to have done so. Everyone brings their experiences and different personalities to the table, including varying majors and hobbies. Overall, Alpha Phi Omega has given me an opportunity to find my place at such a large university.