Q: What’s your favorite moment in film?

“This part of my life, this little part is called happiness.”

Will Smith’s character, Chris Gardner embarks onto a bustling New York City sidewalk with relief and fear in his eyes. He joins the emotional weight of the others in the crowd. Within a few steps his character tightly clenches his palms together and gazes upward followed by a ferocious set of claps as if each times his hands pat together, he is smashing every obstacle that was thrown his direction. As he keeps walking forward, Chris with slight hesitation sends his fists halfway into the sky portraying a release of an abundance of built up emotion but, in just a few small gestures. These emotions signifying the grind of our individual lives. The triumphs; The heartbreaks; The sacrifices and the victories. As you watch you feel the tears form in your eye beds as this film embodies what we are all going through on our own. We’re are all struggling and miserable in some regard and our darkness may not all be the same color. We are all familiar with the unexpectedness, the twists, the turns and the mountains in our lives that never get easier to maneuver no matter how many times they appear. 

We live. We move forward. We continue to breath as long as the air flows through our lungs and we embrace the things that make us smile, the few chances we get to be an underdog, and the feeling that we get when we are handed an opportunity to show greatness, to be exactly that. Let yourself be great, you’ve earned it. 

Believe that.

The ‘burgh.

Week 1.

Well, I made it. I'm officially underway in North Carolina with a week of training under my belt. Although I'm extremely grateful for this, the move has been far from easy. Moving to a new place is hard, although some may claim you get a fresh start, you're also starting completely over. You're sort of forced to put everything you've been building for the last 4 years in the past. Not completely, but physically, yes. Those people are far away carrying on with their lives just like you have to. While you may be craving their presence they're reminiscing over your absence. I just miss a lot of it I guess and I wasn't ready to quite let go just yet. I'm not ready to give up those people that have changed me for the better, that have supported me day in and day out and that have always been there to pick me up. I guess it's hard adjusting to a place of unfamiliarity especially when you miss more than anything the familiar.

I am building this bridge for him.

“Behold, how good and pleasant it is for brothers to dwell together in unity” Psalms 133:1

Dear Iota Chi,

I think back to the time when I was first introduced to Pi Kapp. I had just signed my bid and was a little nervous as to what I had just committed to but I was quickly reassured why I did on one of our first nights hanging out together as associated member's. I honestly wonder what I could have been thinking when doubting fraternity's because I don’t know what would have become of me if I had not joined this fraternity.

The passion that has been placed in my heart, the unforgettable times we spent together at tailgates, our tradition of Taco Bell before chapter and the fact that I have all of you to have my back every time I fall, makes this fraternity my home away from home. These cherished moments are ones that we will build upon for the rest of our lives.

I don’t think I can even begin to put into words the magnitude of the impact this organization has had on my life since November of 2013. I've found some of my very best friends in this fraternity, brothers that I couldn't imagine life without, brothers that will always be there to remind that I “can’t hang”,

I wrote this in the hopes that I have made a difference in each of your lives in some way and that it will then carry on to those that will come after you.

As I leave Ball State and this darn good looking group of men, I challenge all of you to question your dedication to making yourself a better man and to live out our values every single day. I am living proof that this fraternity can turn you into the person that deep down inside you always knew you would become. Remember that our time as an active is limited and one day these memories and relationships will be all we have left so take advantage and don’t take one day as a Pi Kapp for granted.  

I will leave you all with just a few things, the first being a reminder that brotherhood changes lives. It teaches us that we must lead with integrity, that service to others is both a responsibility and privilege and that we are stronger together than apart.Through all things that are thrown your way, you can relish in the fact that your brothers are always there to pick you up with a pep talk, a 12 pack of tacos, or big ol’ bear hug. Either way, they are there for you, because they are your mates, your friends, your brothers.

Secondly remember our letters. I had not realized what our letters truly meant until I became an initiated brother.When putting on my crewneck with stiched letters I had just thought of it as putting a sweatshirt on, I hadn't realized that I had actually really sewn the letters onto my heart. When becoming a brother you’re forever stamping your identity with them. Everything you are, from this point on, becomes who we are..We carry each other. We matter to one another and if we’re doing fraternity right then we’ll make each of you better men.

Lastly, remember to reach your full potential, you only travel this path once and to make it count. Reflect on what we have done here together.The legacy we've built, the lives we've touched, the money we've raised for an organization that is so dear to our hearts , the people we've encountered and the nights we've had together. That all the tough times we've been through together has been worth ever second.

I couldn't be more proud to call this chapter mine and I will cherish you all and the impact you've had on my life..

All I can say is thank you, Iota Chi.

Fraternally, 

Colton Robbins

Regardless of what happens,

I'm happy.

At this very moment,

I am exactly,

that.

So,

thank you.