Some things never change

I used to hate flying. I was terrified of planes, didn't like the stress that came with airport security checkpoints, and really didn't like spending $4 for a bottle of water.

In fact, on my first flight to Alabama as a CDC, I nearly had a breakdown because we only arrived 50 minutes before our flight took off (the horror!). We made that plane, and throughout the rest of the year, I navigated canceled flights, long security lines, and getting to the airport with under an hour until my flight.

Somewhere along the tens of thousands of miles I traveled, airports became my "me" place. They were where I treated myself to Starbucks, caught up on blogs, watched Hulu, worked on reports. And planes, the things I used to be the most afraid of, became my place to enjoy a good book or write thank you notes.

The airports and planes were my routine. In a year where I felt like nothing was constant, the traveling was something that never changed.

So here I am now, sitting in the Jacksonville Airport, with my first flight delayed and a pretty good chance that I'll miss both my booked connection and the back-up connection that my new Delta agent friend Kareem just helped me get on, and I'm at peace. I don't know if I'm going to be sleeping in my bed or on an airport bench tonight, but I feel pretty okay.

Nearly two years later, I am sitting here, catching up on blogs, drinking an Iced Passion Tea, and smiling because even though so much is different about my life and who I am, some things never change.

On DG, Greek Life, and Convention

Last weekend, I was blessed to be able to attend Delta Gamma's 65th International Biennial Convention in Indianapolis. It was truly one of the highlights of my Delta Gamma experience, and a great way to revisit my year as a CDC. I got to see many of the presidents I worked with over the year, meet the president of our chapter at the University of Virginia (where I will be taking on the role of ATC), catch up with fellow CDCs, and gain further appreciation for being a Delta Gamma - an organization that I chose to be a part of, and one that in turn chose me.

Look, Steph, you made the blog!!

Greek Life has the potential to change lives because it adds something to the undergraduate experience of men and women across the country. Let's be honest, if it did not offer something beyond partying, it would not still be relevant on our campuses.

I don't think I've posted on this before, so I'm going to do it now, in part as an answer to a challenge issued by Circle of Sisterhood founder Ginny Carroll during her speech at Convention. She challenged us to share with others why Delta Gamma meant as much as it did to us, and to share the moment when we were proudest to be a Delta Gamma.

One of my proudest moments as a Delta Gamma was when I returned to our Gamma Xi chapter at Texas Tech University in the Spring. I had visited the chapter in the fall and had had a really wonderful experience with the women, making a lot of connections and really enjoying my time in Lubbock. When I arrived in March, the chapter gave me a standing ovation, and I was greeted with hugs and smiles. The outpouring of love, support, and true sisterhood (despite these women having only known me for one week) was overwhelming.

The truth is, I have a lot of proud DG moments because DG has had such an impact on my life. I honestly believe that the organization has given me leadership and teamwork skills that I would not have been able to learn elsewhere, and I can say that members of my organization - collegiate and alumni alike- have shaped me into a person I am proud to be.

I believe that Greek organizations are capable of being catalysts for change and for good on college campuses, should collegiate members embrace the values that their organizations offer. I know because I have seen (and have been moved to tears by) it on campuses all over the country - large, small, public, private, you name it.

Delta Gamma, and other Greek organizations, remain relevant not because of the drinking, the partying, the hazing, but because they teach young adults how to live with values and purpose. They offer a secure, supportive setting in which 18-23 year-olds can grow as students, as leaders, and as friends. They are places in which young women and men and built up, encouraged to push their limits, and comforted during hard times.

What's more is that they offer a network of other members that span generational and geographical gaps. I have been inspired by Delta Gammas in collegiate chapters in Montana, Colorado, Maryland, Texas, Ohio, Florida... just to name a few, and by women at many different stages of life. I have learned and grown from their experiences in the organization.

There is truly no other subset of organization that offers quite the same experience.

If you're Greek, what's your proudest Greek moment? And if you're not, when have you seen a Greek organization at their best or worst?

Catching up: from Las Cruces to Lubbock

So here I am again, having promised you several blogs, playing catch up. Here’s what you’ve missed:

A week in Las Cruces, where I ate a lot of green chili (um, delicious), saw some sweet mountains, and got a view of Mexico! I met some wonderful women, was a guest speaker at Founders Day, and saw my first college baseball game of the season.

   

From there, I headed to Sarasota, Florida to watch the Orioles in Spring Training. This was my first Spring Training experience, but my dad and I have already decided that we’re going to make it a regular thing. We got to see the Orioles tie with the Red Sox and beat the Yankees! Plus, I recognized some of the rookies from working with Georgia Baseball, which is always exciting. Can you believe opening day is so soon?!

 

 

And then, I made my way to Delta Gamma’s oldest chapter – Eta, at the University of Akron. I really loved getting to spend the week in Ohio, especially with this group of women! I got to attend their Mother-Daughter Day, meet with alumnae, attend a cookout at a neighboring fraternity house, and bond closely with their chapter president, Danielle. They also included me in one of their chapter’s traditions, called Watershed. I also ate Chipotle twice in a week.

  

Finally, I got to reconnect with the women of Gamma Xi-Texas Tech for a week! When I arrived, I was greeted by a chapter standing and applauding/cheering, which, of course, made me cry. That’s how I am – I get moved to tears. It’s fine. I got to present to the chapter, meet with officers, attend a baseball game, eat some really delicious things, bawl at both Inspiration and Initiation, and really just catch up with a group of women who I’ve missed since October. Plus, I got to shamelessly listen to “Texas Country…” read: all the Josh Abbott Band I ever wanted to listen to :)

There’s your recent summary. Tomorrow, be on the lookout for an update on my running life!

Playing catch-up: Crayola, Southwest Airlines, College Park, Parents+Puppy, Chipotle

Hello from College Park, Maryland!

I got here on Saturday, and my arrival was pretty surreal. First, I could see Camden Yards from my plane:

Okay, fine, I wasn't this close. Whatever. It was still cool.

And then, when I got picked up, my ride on the beltway including streets and places that I knew! Plus, the radio was set to Hot 99.5, the local pop music station. And I've already seen several Orioles t-shirts! It's almost like I'm home.

I'm almost always asked what the most difficult thing about being on the road is, and my answer is almost always the same: missing family and friends. It's difficult to spend a year on your own, especially when it means that most of the time you're hundreds - even thousands - of miles away from the people you love.

Sometimes, though, you get lucky.

And within the last week, I've gotten lucky twice! This past Thursday, while at Lafayette, I was able to get dinner with some wonderful people I know, and then on Sunday, I was able to eat dinner at home. Like, my real home. With my parents and my dog. It's really been an awesome week.

Just for catch up purposes, here's what else has been going on:

• Wednesday: I ran to the Crayola Factory. I was then the oldest person in the Crayola Factory. Who cares though? I got to see the world's largest crayon and play with melted wax. Cooool.
• Thursday: I was able to get dinner with people I love, and had this awesome burger that had bacon jam on it. What is bacon jam? I'm not sure either, but it's delicious and tastes kind of like BBQ sauce.
• Friday: I left Lafayette for Rutgers, where I was able to eat at Tastee Subs, just like President Obama! I was able to spend another night with some wonderful women.
• Saturday: I flew from Newark to BWI. For the first time, I had to be pat down following the big people scannin' machine. The machine picked up a zipper in my dress, which was cause for the pat down. As a positive, it definitely made me feel safer -- a zipper is so small! I also reconfirmed my love for Southwest Airlines, who made my day better with free peanuts, Diet Dr. Pepper, and smiling flight attendants. OH. And free checked bags. Also that.
• Sunday: Got to see my parents and my dog!!! Also got to help facilitate a Recruitment Prep Workshop -- the recruitment nerd in me had the best time, and I'm so excited for next weekend to get here so that recruitment can start!
• Monday: Thanks to a free morning/afternoon, was able to run with my dad and my dog around a local lake. It was fun and challenging all at the same time. My meetings started in the afternoon, and the chapter even took me out for frozen yogurt afterwards!

And that brings me to today. The only real thing I've done of note is gotten to go to Chipotle and have the burrito I've been craving. Otherwise, I've been working on reports and preparing for tonight's meetings and RPWs.

I should also probably stop eating all of the candy my mom sent me back to Maryland with... oops.

Training, treadmills, and crayons

I feel like I should change my blog name to “Running across America"” or something clever like that to describe my training regimen. Few people train in 10 different states before they run a half marathon! Usually, they have a route they love to run or their treadmill. At the very least, they’re typically training in the same place – air quality, altitude, and relative temperature don’t really change.

Yesterday, I completed my four miles on the indoor track at Lafayette College. Their campus is beautiful, and I am looking forward to getting to run outside tomorrow, but yesterday was rainy and gross – the gym was calling my name.

I could’ve ran on the treadmill, but to be honest, my relationship with that particular piece of equipment is mostly bad. Running is definitely a mind game, and I don’t like the treadmill telling me both how long I’ve been running and how far I’ve gone. It was much nicer to be able to zone out to music on the track and only count the laps. I actually ran a lot faster than I typically do on the treadmill, because instead of setting a speed, I rely on how I’m feeling to determine how hard I can push myself.

Tomorrow, I’ve got five miles to run according to my training plan. I’m planning on getting up a little bit early and making my way towards the city of Easton, which is about 1.5 miles away. Once I get there, I’m going to scope out the city on foot. If you follow me on Twitter, you already know how I’m planning to reward myself – with a trip to….

THE CRAYOLA FACTORY!

I’ve been scoping out all the places I’m visiting on Wikipedia, and picking things I want to do while visiting. And Easton, PA, as it turns out, is home to THE Crayola crayon factory.

Seeing crayons being made? Playing with wax? Learning more about markers? Yes please!

New Jersey, new state.

Surprise! I am writing tonight from snowy New Jersey – a new state in my travels this year.

Well, I guess technically not, since I visited Princeton and Edison over my winter break, but none-the-less, it is still a new state in Delta Gamma-land for me.

If you’ve been following my sidebar, you know that today was supposed to be my first day at Lafayette College in Easton, PA. I did make it to Easton, plopped my bags down in my new room, observed this pretty neat conference for all of the leaders on their campus, and then packed an over night bag for a quick trip to the Garden State.

I’ll be helping with a recruitment workshop tomorrow, and then head back to Easton at night.

This job has definitely added some spontaneity to my life, and I am learning to enjoy the process and live more in the moment. Today that means I am getting excited to meet new women and see another college campus – Rutgers!

Here’s to hoping I have time to take photos!

Starting out on a Journey

Two days from now, I'll be in Columbus, done with my first half day of Officer Training. How exciting is that? I think it is the most exciting because it means that my year as a CDC is finally about to begin.

What do I want out of this year? I want to learn all I can, and teach all I can. I want to inspire, impact, and change lives. Most of all, I want to share with women all over the country just how much Delta Gamma can do for them in their lives. I really just want to give back to an organization that has given so much to me.

I don't move into Executive Offices for another month, so this weekend training trip is really just a tease, but I couldn't be more eager to dive into everything. So here we are: the beginning of my journey. Can't wait to really share it all.

song credit: At The Beginning from the motion picture "Anastasia"