Read the full Zeta here.
Archon’s Address
The Psi U Brotherhood continues to succeed academically, athletically, socially and philanthropically. We outpaced everyone for the most money raised for the CHaD, and our house GPA still stands above average. But, I don’t want to offer a dry list of our accomplishments. Rather, I’d like to focus on something more fundamental to the Psi U experience: unity. The Zeta always has been and always will be about our bonds, our brotherhood, and the times we have with one another. What’s more, the unity we share as Psi U brothers transcends our class ties and even our years at Dartmouth.
Most (dare I say all) fraternal organizations cultivate relationships within each class. With the way Greek Life is structured, it’s hard not to get close to the people who not only wear the same letters you do, but also wear those letters for the same amount of time. A lot of memories are made.
The relationships within Psi U transcend these class boundaries, and many of my best friends from my time at Dartmouth are brothers in different classes. I could continue to talk about how close I am to various brothers from the classes of 2018, 2019, and 2021 that have shared my direct Psi U experience, but again this is nothing special. It should come as no surprise that I have befriended people who were in my fraternity at the same time as me.
The direct Psi U experience is important, but it’s not what lasts. The legacy of your time at 7 West Wheelock is what matters most, and I want to share a story that I think captures the legacy most aptly.
As my sophomore year progressed, I began coming across a few ‘17s—the class that graduated when I was a freshman. When I first descended into the Kaiser and saw the foreign faces playing pong with the older undergraduate Psi U’s, I immediately assumed the dynamic would be weird. Some ‘I’ve already graduated’ complex is going to come into play and make things socially bizarre, I thought to myself.
Yet everyone was more than friendly and treated us as equals; as brothers. Not only did they lower their pinkies and beckon the Grip, but they also welcomed us with open arms into the banter and friendship that defines Psi U. Audyn grilled with us from 4:00am to 8:00am on Homecoming Sunday. Pranav, who I first had a conversation with because of a recruiting call, is someone I now talk to in ways I would never feel comfortable speaking in the workplace: as a true friend.
While these anecdotes of friendship speak to the character of our beloved Fraternity, there is yet one more that is the cherry on top. Because of the indubitable relationships that Psi U cultivates, one ’17 actually came and met a group of us ‘20s (and a singular ’21) in Copenhagen in November 2019 while we were abroad. The fact that we, collectively 5 classes apart at Dartmouth, were able to be reciprocally comfortable enough to travel together for a long weekend demonstrates the deep-rooted nature of what Psi U does for all of us. Hamish is truly one of my best friends I’ve made at Dartmouth. So here’s to you, you dirty dog.
This house has shaped me into a better person because it’s helped me cultivate the best friends possible. In a time where the common perception of fraternities is overwhelmingly negative, we must fight to remember the good that we do and the positive impacts we have. The influence Psi U has on all of us applies to more than just each other; it has residual effects on all future relationships we have. We are a part of something pretty special, so remember that. It falls on us to ensure that the coming generations of Dartmouth will have a chance to find out what we’re all about.
Yours in the Bonds, Saheer Mathrani ‘20