Sweet Home Alabama

picture: pinterest

Long time no blog! Sorry about that. We’ve been so busy here in Tuscaloosa, trying to recruit a brand new colony of enthusiastic, dynamic, beautiful, and talented new Delta Gammas. How exciting is that?

Things that I love about Tuscaloosa: Chick-Fil-A; This beautiful campus; Meeting women from all over the country; Talking about Delta Gamma; Warm southern weather; Big t-shirts; Coming across all sorts of things that remind me of Athens, GA.

Can we talk about the campus for a second? Seriously. The University of Alabama is so beautiful with the historic brick buildings, scenic quads, and massive Greek houses. Hello, Alpha Tau Omega looks like a library!

Now that we’re about a week and a half into the colonization process, I am finding myself falling asleep as soon as my head hits the pillow and waking up WITHOUT an alarm, by myself, at 7:50. If you know me, you know that I’m the girl who purposely scheduled her classes after 10 am so that I could sleep in on a regular basis, and the one who couldn’t fall asleep at night until nearly 2 am. It’s crazy how a real job can change that!

Despite the turning into an adult, I’m loving being able to share Delta Gamma with women at Alabama, and seeing them develop a passion for the organization that I care so much about. And I know that feeling will only be amplified when we have preference on Saturday and bid day on Sunday.

Roll Tide!

Headin' Down South to the Land of the TIDE

After almost four weeks at the Martin Center in Columbus, it's time. We're headed out on the road! Well, kind of. Tomorrow, seven of us will fly down to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to help recolonize the Beta Psi chapter of Delta Gamma at the University of Alabama. We'll be meeting CDCs Erica and Kerry who flew down today, and CDCs Nikki and Stephanie will be heading out on their first recruitment visits!

I'll be in Tuscaloosa for about 2.5 weeks before I head to State College to work with the Alpha Chi chapter at Penn State. And let me tell you, I am so excited to be headed back down south for an SEC recruitment!! I have been following recruitment at UGA with so much jealousy -- 1500 PNMs... wow! And Alabama? Alabama has 1700. SEVENTEEN HUNDRED.

Quick shout out to all of the Delta Gammas at UGA. I love you girls, and I know you are kicking butt during recruitment this year. I can't wait to see all of the wonderful, talented, smart, and beautiful new members that join DG on bid day.

Anyways, the past four weeks have been full of learning, growing, and fun, and I am eager to put my new skills to the test. And being a part of the biggest sorority colonization in history? That's definitely the way to test those skills.

Next time I blog, I'll be back south of the Mason-Dixon line.

ROLL TIDE.

song credit: an edited version of Wagon Wheel

You can waste your life drawing lines or you can live your life crossing them

One thing you should know about me: I am absolutely terrified of heights.

One thing you should know about Monday: I climbed up a telephone pole, stood on top, and jumped.

Monday was our day at the ropes course. We started the morning with team building activities, then spent the afternoon on the high ropes, and then ended the day with what is called the “pamper pole.”

Essentially, you get strapped into a harness, then are attached to a rope anchored by two people, and then climb up to the top of the pole. Once at the top, the challenge is to stand up and then jump off towards a hanging soccer ball.

So why would a person who is terrified of heights put themselves through this? Simply put, this year is about testing my limits.

Borrowing a line from Grey’s Anatomy, “(Boundaries) fence you in.” This year is not about fencing myself in. It’s about pushing myself outside of my comfort zone so that I can grow as an individual and experience things that I never would have tried in the past.

Monday, I started with the pamper pole. And you know what? Free-falling and knowing that I had faced my fears was pretty darn exciting. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not going and signing up to go skydiving. But baby steps? Baby steps are pretty awesome.

Title: Grey’s Anatomy

Ready to run.

Okay, so the title is slightly deceptive. I’m not ready to run yet, but I will be!

On October 23rd, the Athens Half Marathon will become the third half marathon I’ve run this year. I ran Disney in early January and then the Marine Corps Historic Half with my dad in May, just two days after I graduated college.

The Disney Half was my first ever, and it was most definitely a turning point in my life.

Running that race gave me this incredible feeling of being able to achieve pretty much anything I set my mind to. Finishing left me feeling unstoppable: if I’m able to run 13.1 miles non-stop, I can do anything. I had that same feeling following the Historic Half in May.

Now, I’m turning to running and to this training to help me keep myself on track and balanced for this year on the road. My training plan begins in mid-August, and I know that having that piece of running that I’ve gotta do four days a week will ensure that I keep my health a priority and give me something to shoot for.

Looking for a new goal? Sign up to run it with me!

It’s amazing how far one can come in a year – last year, at this time, I was on my way back from Fairbanks, Alaska. Now, I’m in Columbus, I’m graduated, and I’m training for both my first real job and my third half marathon of the year.

Crazy.

title: Ready to Run/Dixie Chicks

Leave a legacy, not a history

It's official -- the 2011-2012 CDCs have hit Columbus! We got in yesterday, and have spent the last 24 hours unpacking, trying fried pickles, laughing, and learning. The Martin Center is just as beautiful as I remember it being when we interviewed back in February, and it is still surreal that I'll be living here with 10 other girls for the next 3.5 weeks.

Today we talked about financial budgeting (definitely going to be trying to save a lot this year) and about our expectations for the upcoming year. It's finally starting to sink in that I'm going to be visiting all of these different chapters and meeting an incredible group of women each place I travel all over the country.

Speaking of traveling all over the country, have you checked out the latest addition to the sidebar of my blog? After OTS, I posted my tentative schedule. Tentative being the key word, as I'll probably have a chapter visit added and there's definitely a chance that my visits will change.

So where am I going? All over!

Alabama, Penn State, Michigan

Break in Athens

UC San Diego, Arizona, Texas Tech

Break in Athens

South Florida, Tampa, and the U (Miami)

How exciting is that? I can't wait to see places I've never seen and meet people who will most certainly teach me a whole lot. And this is only a half year!

If you haven't already, check the sidebar and read blogs from some of the other CDCs from this year. All of them are wonderful, and I know it will be so fun to read about where they are going!

On packing - part two.

How do you get all of this:

(pictured are: a fleece, a sweatshirt, a rain jacket, a blazer, workout pants, 2 pairs of leggings, 5 pairs of nike shorts, running tights, 4 short sleeve workout tops, 2 long sleeve workout tops, 5 pairs of pants, 3 pairs of shorts, 4 skirts, 7 dresses, a romper, 13 short sleeve tops, 5 long sleeve tops, toiletries, blowdrier, and 6 pairs of shoes)  

into one suitcase and one carry on?

The answer: Hefty zip top bags!

As it turns out, the zip-top bags help to organize and create a vaccuum effect -- meaning you can fit more into less space!

Here's the finished product:

And look, still fifteen pounds to spare!



I'm considering that expert packer title earned.

On packing.

I consider myself to be an expert packer. For example: this past weekend, I packed:

1. Three dresses
2. A pair of pants
3. Three sets of workout clothes
4. Two skirts
5. Two sweaters
6. A sweatshirt
7. Four dress shirts
8. Four pairs of shoes: Two pairs of flats, a pair of heels, and running shoes
9. Toiletries/underwear/etc

into a carry-on bag. Just one!

Anyways, because I'll be away from home from July 5-15, and because I leave on the 18th for training, I really need to start thinking about packing to live out of a suitcase, a carry-on roller bag, and a tote for the next four months.

I'm slightly overwhelmed.

Today, my goal is to write out my packing list. I need it to be detailed and complete, because I also want it to serve as an inventory for everything I bring along. And because I'll be less able to just run out and purchase something if I forget it, I'm slightly nervous.

What are some things I shouldn't forget but probably will on my own? Any tips and tricks so that I can fit more?