Emerson / Los Angeles Retrospective Part 2

It was during my freshmen year I did something I never thought I would ever do: join a fraternity. That fraternity was Sigma Alpha Epsilon and joining it was one the greatest decisions I have ever made in my life. Yes, I'm aware that any of you who have been to some of our parties may find it unusual to see the words "SAE" and "great decisions" being used in the same sentence, but let me assure you that it truly was. Describing what SAE is like or what the appeal is, is pretty much impossible to do. I feels like its the most normal boys at Emerson College all coming together in order to act totally insane. SAE is like no other fraternity chapter you've ever actually hung around with, and probably the most like you'll see the movies, except without all the attractive topless chicks. You don't join SAE necessarily because you want to, you do it because you feel like it makes the most sense. Regardless of why I decided to join, Sigma Alpha Epsilon provided me with an amazingly strong and much needed foundation and there's no way in hell I would have ever stayed at Emerson College in the first two years there had I not been a brother of the greatest fraternity chapter in the world*. *A congratulations and possibly sex with me is in order for my former roommate, BFF, and SAE president Jon Ruest who has recently been recognized "Greek of The Year" by Emerson College, an award they give to the fraternity/sorority member who actually appears to maybe have his/her shit together. SAE is coming back and there's not a goddamn thing any of you pussies can do about it. Pussies. Sophomore year was the year of 49 Gardner and the infamous SAE house, of which I would visit almost every other day. Insane partying reached its absolute peak that year. Unfortunately all these good times at Boston were overshadowed by some very, very bad things happening back home. I'm not going to mention their names out of guilt and respect to them but it was at this time that my two best friends from home and I had completely decimated our relationships. I'll never actually reveal the details to the internet, but it was meaningful friendships that ended up being destroyed by drugs. It was the lowest point of my life. For the first time in a long while, I felt completely and utterly alone.

Top, related to article: SAE's offical emblem. Bottom, completely unrelated: Terror on the high seas

However I would soon meet two girls who would change my life, make me completely change my opinions on the female race, and fill the void left in my heart caused by trouble at home. Emily (who you remember for our awesome LA adventures) and CJ were two Northeastern girls I met when we were locked outside of 49 Gardner and all of our phones were dead who ended becoming two of the best friends I ever had. More importantly, they dug me out of my slump. For the longest time I felt the only times that people thought I was interesting or funny was when I was black-out drunk or stoned out of my gourd. Emily and CJ made me realize that sober Geno was not only just as much, but more interesting and funny than he could ever be under the influence. And for that, things finally started to look up.

That Christmas break, I would reunite with two friends who I had either let fall by the wayside after college or who I never really took the time to really get close to in high school. My brother Matt -- there's not a single kid who I owe more t in this world than him -- felt bad for what happened between my friends from home and told me that I should go over to our friend Pat's house, where Nick was hanging out. Pat and Nick were for the most part fairly good friends of mine who I would party with but that was essentially the extent of our relationships. However on that night, I ended up driving the two to iHop and they said something to me which truly touched me:

"Andrew, you don't hang out with us enough,"

Long story short, that is no longer the case anymore and now Nick and Pat, and eventually many many others from home have become amazing, amazing friends of mine and now coming home is something I greatly look forward to, rather than fear. And I owe it all to Nick, Pat, and my brother.

Things were slowly but very surely getting better for me. But there was a lot of other stuff I needed to do. I still hadn't found my calling, I was constantly stressed out, and I was smoking a pack and a half of cigarettes a day. Some serious changes still needed to be made.

And I'll talk about those changes, and finally about this whole LA thing in the next blog post!

One love,
Andrew G. / Geno