Graduation Op-Ed by Jay Jenkins, Lynchburg '19
Jay Jenkins celebrating graduation.
Phi Kappa Tau has been the backbone of my college experience. Even through the obstacles, I wouldn’t trade it for the world. There were times during my undergraduate years when I was wishing to finally become one of those “fun alumni” who don’t have to hold any positions or have any major responsibilities to the chapter. Well, I’m finally there. An alumni of Phi Kappa Tau and it doesn’t feel as fun as I thought it would be. The main feeling that I have as an alumni of Phi Tau is worry. They always told us that you should leave the chapter in a better place than you found it. The normal feelings of worry come with that in mind. Did I do enough? Did I represent to the best of my ability what a man of distinction looks like? Did I provide enough mentorship to each new class? Is it truly better than what I entered? When thinking of these questions while filled with worry, I realized the answer to all these questions were, yes. Yes, because if I didn’t ask them to myself or have this completely normal feeling of worry, then that’s when I did something wrong. That’s when I would know that I didn’t do enough during my undergraduate years.
I graduated college, and many other brothers across the country are doing the same—congratulations to all the Phi Tau graduates. I want to share something: while I am excited to finally be done with my academic life, I’m also in a way scared. I know that might sound foolish, but all my life there has always been a set in stone “what’s next.” You go from this grade to this grade to this grade. There was always a chronological constant. For the first time in my life there is no longer a set in stone what's next. Finally, what’s next is whatever I choose it to be. While that may seem exciting it does make me scared. The feeling of not having that safety net of knowing what exactly was next after every accomplishment. But as I stated before, Phi Kappa Tau has been my backbone in my undergraduate years and like any wise brother has said before, it’s more than just four years.
This is going to be tough. We’re at the point in our lives that many of us have looked forward to when we were younger. I have to continually remind myself that when summer is over I’m not just moving back to college or studying for exams anymore, not going to go to weekly chapter meetings, and worrying about rush week. I now have to start buying more regular clothes, because wearing letters and greek shirts everyday isn’t going to fly anymore. I’m finally in the real world. This is the moment when I truly thank my membership in Phi Kappa Tau. Without it, I wouldn’t know how to lead meetings, navigate Roberts rules, promote, advertise and execute events or engage in any philanthropic activities. I wouldn’t have the experience of problem solving with peers you are always working with. I now look forward to attending brother's weddings and having them in mine. Seeing which one gets a kid first. Seeing what kind of fancy job they all get. Visiting each one wherever they end up in the world and especially coming back to the undergrad chapter to see how they are doing. Phi Tau has made me a better man. A man that is ready to take on anything this world will throw at him.