The decision on whether or not to pledge a fraternity or sorority is a big one to make. You have four years to be here and get involved in any number of organizations of campus. What makes the Greek system so special?

A lot of Penn State students join a fraternity because they think it will be their ticket to great parties, but there are a lot more reasons to join that aren't always considered.

Joining a fraternity opens so many doors to those willing to walk through them.

As a member of my fraternity, I have been given chances to meet people I never would have met otherwise. It started in the spring of my freshman year, when a group of the guys in my fraternity and myself took a road trip to visit our chapter house at Cornell University. That experience gave me the sense that my fraternity is not just limited to Penn State. Most fraternities have chapters all across North America and are expanding.

I have since traveled to other chapter houses at New York University, Columbia University, Lafayette College, and the University of Toronto. Each time, I've had the chance to meet some new people, and we all have something in common.

Networking opportunities abound throughout the greek system. Penn State alumni who were members of my fraternity are constantly stopping by the house to see how things are going. The guys who graduated this past spring were able to use those connections to find a job when they got out into the real world.

Living in a fraternity house is also a lot better than living in a dorm or apartment. There are going to be about 36 people living in our house this fall, which means there is always something to do. In a dorm or apartment, things can die down and get boring.

If you ever need help with studying for a test, chances are someone else in the fraternity has already taken the same class and can help you out. My fraternity is home to people who are studying everything from aerospace engineering to political science.

The best part of being in a fraternity is the feeling that, in a huge university like Penn State, you are making your mark and leaving a legacy. Every improvement we make to our house, every thing we do to make the chapter better will be felt for years by the next generation that follows us.

There is a true sense that, with everything we do to improve the chapter, we are contributing to something that has a vast and proud tradition.

The current members all have an appreciation for the legacy that the older members left.

When I'm 40 years old and I want to come back to campus for a football game, the best part will be hanging out with members of my fraternity and telling stories about the good old days at Penn State.

The next four years is staring you in the face like a blank canvas, and you can paint it anyway you want.

But before you pick up that brush, check out Penn State's Greek life.