my alma mater

I get asked many questions on the road...

Where are you from? What's ADPi like at your school? What positions did you hold? Do you have a boyfriend? Is that hard? Why do you have so much stuff for a week? Oh, you really live out of those suitcases? What did you study? So, is this your only job? Are you going to do this forever? Do you know the other consultants? Are you going to come back & visit us? What's your favorite chapter? Are we your favorite chapter?

But, there's one question that always sticks out above the rest:

[sister] Where did you go to school? [me] Virginia Tech! [sister] Oh... So, were you there for the shooting?

It gets me every. single. time.

On April 16, 2007, I sat down at the dinner table with my parents & younger brother as I did every night growing up. My dad looked at me and asked what I thought was the craziest, most absurd question anyone could ever ask:

[dad] So, do you still want to go to Virginia Tech? [me] You bet.

You know, Virginia Tech is an amazing school home, and it just burns me up that people don't think of more than that day when they hear its name.

Michele Obama couldn't have said it better.

Want to know something else? U.S. News & World Report ranks Virginia Tech #28 out of all public universities in the nation, Southern Living listed it as one of the Best College Towns in the South, and the Princeton Review ranks Virginia Tech second in the nation for Best Campus Food.

Oh, and let's have a little chat about Hokie football. I cried about graduating when I watched a trailer for the 2012 football season that came out last spring; Virginia Tech football is serious. In fact, Lane Stadium is considered to be one of the loudest stadiums in the country and has been dubbed the most exciting entrance in college football.

So, next time you have the privilege of meeting a Hokie, I hope you think about what an incredible place Virginia Tech is & how unbelievably silly you were to not go there.

And that, ladies & gents...

that's what it's all about.

 

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northern arizona university

Having the chance to visit a chapter more than once...

Is always such a treat. Return visits feel like home - familiar faces, a familiar bed, and getting the chance to eat at that local yummy restaurant one more time.

and I'm so glad to be back!

Visiting the Epsilon Xi chapter at Northern Arizona University again was even better than a typical second visit! Last time I visited this chapter, I left the town of Flagstaff with 2 feet of snow on the ground (who knew it snowed in Arizona? Not me...), and returned to beautiful 70 degree weather. Experiencing two different seasons in one city on the opposite side of the country from what I'm used to was pretty neat.

beautiful sunset during a break in the snow storm

So, let's talk about this snow for a second. I have never seen so much snow come down so fast! I mean, it snows in Virginia, but not like this. In VA, the weatherman calls for 2", and there's no milk or bread on shelves for miles. In Flagstaff, it snows 2', and life goes on as normal. Well, except for the airports! When my flight was finally able to leave, they de-iced the plane (not exactly what you want to hear the flight attendant announce just prior to take-off). Taking off in a snow storm is quite an experience!

are we sure this is safe?..

Oh, and check out this little adventure I had pre-snow storm. Ya know, just a day in the life doing an obstacle course 30' up in some trees. No biggie.

On my second visit, life in Flagstaff was quite different. In fact, my visit included my third Mallard Ball (an ADPi southern tradition celebrating the beginning of duck hunting season) of this crazy consultant journey & a trip to the Grand Canyon! It is beautiful to say the very least. Honestly, it looks like a painting. If you've never been, go visit the big ditch sometime. It's worth it.

stevie & me

throw diamonds at the canyon - check.

b e a u t i f u l

Oh, one last Arizona thought: Watch for elk crossing. Yes, elk. My dad always warns me to "be careful & watch out for deer & fog!", but elk? Nope. Not in VA. Yet another new experience for this east coaster.

typical arizona rear view

typical arizona curbside view

 

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love God, sweet tea, and the SEC

That they do at good ole Beta Nu...

Beta Nu chapter at the University of Georgia (which I quickly learned is referred to simply as "Georgia") was the perfect beginning to my last leg of travels!

The house was unbelievable & absolutely perfect for Alpha Delt: it was built in 1851! It's formerly known as the Hamilton House and is one of three houses on Milledge Ave. built by the Hamilton family. The other two houses are now owned by Kappa Alpha Theta & Phi Mu. If you look carefully at the windows of the house, you'll see dates etched into them. Rumor has it ADPis would use their diamond rings to scratch the year into the window - they just had to be sure those rocks were real! Oh, and one other thing, the house had the sweetest touch: a welcome banner for me!

the hamilton house

gorgeous front parlor

southern staple: wrap around front porch & rockers

so sweet!

UGA's campus was just beautiful & full of tradition. There's an arch on campus that was once the entrance to the once-gated campus, and it's thought that if you walk under the arch before you graduate, you'll have to stay an extra year. If I were a student at Georgia, I'd definitely be walking under that arch! There's also a bell on campus that anyone can ring. Apparently, it rings all night when they beat their football rival! Oh, and get this: an Alpha Delta Pi's grandfather owns the Uga dog line! Yep, the dogs that are UGA's mascot. How awesome is that?!

the famous arch

the site of their original football field

See you soon, Georgia! Countdown for my return to Atlanta & reunion with my Sisters of the Suitcase: 13 days!

 

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california adventures

When I began to seriously think about this job...

I decided I wouldn't go home on my two days off (and when's that? only every 30 days. 30). When else am I going to get this opportunity to pack my life into three suitcases and hit the road? Probably never. So, I'm milkin' it for all it's worth.

I've been spending most of the spring semester in Pacific Time, and when my first days off for the spring semester rolled around at the end of February, I was ready for an adventure & adventure is what I got.

I'm not usually a spontaneous person - ask my mom; on Monday morning, I'm asking what's for dinner on Friday. My life has always revolved around familiarity... The same 'ol thing day in & day out... Until this job! Now, I'm game for just about anything (No, John, I'm still not ready to jump out of a plane.).

First on the agenda: Disneyland. Who can say they've been to Disneyland & Disney World within a year of each other? Not many. Still haven't quite figured out how I lucked into this job...

camera? throw diamonds, of course.

Next up: paddle boarding. Ever tried this? You should! I was 100% certain I was going to fall into the water, but I actually balanced the entire two hours - I guess all those years of ballet paid off.

such a fun afternoon

Yet another treat: a ritzy movie theater. It may not sound like much to you, but to a girl coming from Covington, VA where the movie theater shows only three movies at a time (usually ones that have been out for a month or so), and you can feel every spring in the seat, this. was. awesome. Every person had a La-Z-Boy to sit in & watch the movie. A La-Z-Boy! Crazy. Waitresses waited on us & brought us whatever our hearts desired (ps: popcorn drizzled in dark chocolate and caramel should be a sin).

Can't forget this: riding beach cruisers along the Pacific. They say you never forget how to ride a bike, but I'm pretty sure I had forgotten. You should've seen me try to get started on this thing. Embarrassing. We rode all the way from Huntington Beach to Newport Beach! It felt like a forever-long bike ride, but who knows how long it actually was.

so, the bike was almost too tall for me.

Oh, and somehow, I ended up at the Orange County Music Awards. Crazy.

California, its been real. Maybe I'll see you soon.

 

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holy moly, time flies.

South Carolina. Florida. Florida. Texas. California. Washington. California.

Those states, ladies & gentlemen, where my whereabouts for January & February! Yes, I know. I'm really, really blessed to have this job.

Oh, real quick before I get too excited telling you about all my adventures: my apologies for not blogging sooner! Shout out to Miss Cammy Brown, Eta Pi - Virginia Tech for always keeping me on my toes with this whole blogging thing.

So, here we go, the past two months of my life condensed into one giant blog post:

Zeta Phi - Francis Marion University

Florence, SC was a tiny town with a ton of spunk. I stayed with the coolest Pi, Angie, for two nights & introduced her to one of my fave movies (for the time being), Pitch Perfect! We praised Jesus together on Sunday morning, and she taught me that food has no calories when you're with your sisters. So, yeah - she was pretty much awesome. The real icing on the cake, though, had to be the chapter officers. I was there during their Officer Transition Workshop, and between the Chapter President, RVP, and myself, I think we lit a fire within those women. Ya know, that reminds me: for all you chapters out there constantly recruiting to reach total...

don't give up. do not give up.

Eugenia started with five other women & a vision, and look at what the first and finest has become. Recruitment is an opportunity to share the gift of Alpha Delta Pi with others. What has this sorority done for you? Go out there and do it for somebody else.

Zeta Epsilon - University of West Florida

Talk about a chapter full of celebs. I met a Disney Princes... a real, live Disney Princess! Also, one of their sisters was an All-American Mascot in high school - legit. And, to top it all off, I met this guy:

I bet I know what you're thinking: is that the guy who does the ADPi rap? You better believe it is. I know, I know. Once again, this job is awesome.

Oh, and the Chapter President here, Destin, she was such a sweetheart. Just about every morning she'd knock on my door with a latte from Starbucks. Yep, you could say I left this chapter a tad bit spoiled.

Zeta Omega - University of Central Florida

So, we pull into the row, and what do I see: ADPis tanning on the front lawn. In bikinis. In January. And no, I wasn't seeing things - this is their reality. Who's jealous? Me. And, as if this wasn't enough to clue me in on the fact that I was about to have an amazing week, this sheet sign sure did.

These chapter women were some of the best hostesses yet! I came home one night to find a dozen mini cupcakes on my bed from a local bakery. So, if I wasn't spoiled enough by Zeta Epsilon, Zeta Omega made sure of it. I also got another sweet treat: a night off to spend some quality time with two of my Eta Pi chapter sisters who live in Orlando now!

Oh, and one more fun fact: their former house director is Rob Thomas's, lead singer in Matchbox Twenty, mother!

Zeta Lambda - Texas A&M

This was home: crazy traditions, corps of cadets, football fanatics, a class ring tradition... Sounds a bit like Virginia Tech if ya ask me.

You wanna talk about a chapter dedicated to change? Zeta Lambda is chock full of incredible leaders who won't take "this is the way we've always done it" for an answer, and I just love that. There's nothing that burns me up more than that lousy excuse, and these women didn't give it to me.

There are some chapters that just tug at my heartstrings because they get it; they know what it takes to leave a legacy, and Zeta Lambda is determined to do so.

Theta Pi - Santa Clara Panhellenic

Talk about something coming full circle. It was such an incredible experience not only to help recruit these women in October, but to come back four months later & help initiate them - that is what I love about this job.

Watching the very first Theta Pi Chapter President be handed the chapter's gavel by our International President... Watching every officer be installed... Watching each member be recognized one by one for their hard work in turning their colony into a chapter... Watching the chapter be presented with their charter... Those are all experiences I will never forget.

Alpha Theta - University of Washington

First thing's first: Seattle is b e a u t i f u l. It may be gray & misty most days, but this was such a pretty place! I hear I was lucky to see clear blue skies one day since the clouds only clear up a few times a month in the winter.

Oh, and does the name Maxine Blake (maybe Maxine Blake Golden Lion) ring a bell? Yep, she's the sister who was Grand President from 1948-1977, and she's an Alpha Theta! Their house (which houses every single one of their 100+ members) has a Maxine Blake Library in it, and of course that's where I had my meetings ever day.

Zeta Alpha - Cal State Fullerton

You know when something just feels right & you can't quite put your finger on it? That was Zeta Alpha for me. Living out of three suitcases is exhausting, but when I go somewhere like this, that doesn't really matter anymore - it's totally worth it.

I hear it wouldn't quite be a trip to Zeta Alpha without a fun day. So, what did we do? We went to Knott's Berry Farm! This girl loves roller coasters, and we rode them allllllllll day. Day made.

Their Chapter President, Amy - She's definitely going to do big things. And, their Executive Committee? They're golden. These women really get it: good leaders maintain status quo... great leaders leave the position better than when they started.

Well, that's a wrap! I've had quite the week (Disneyland, paddle boarding, biking along the Pacific, and a ropes course!), so stay tuned for another post. This time, I promise it won't be two months. Oops.

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