Another Day, Another Airplane

Here I am, sitting in yet another airport about to board a flight to my last visit. Even as I type that, I really can't believe it. This job has challenged me every single day, but it has also made me appreciate so much. One of my friends told me "if you sit down 50 people in a room I bet that no other person in the room will have gone to all the places you have by the end of this. It doesn't matter if there is a 70 year old in the room, you've really gotten to do a lot." From the Grand Canyon, to Disneyland, to Mount Rushmore; I really have gotten to see some of the best parts of the USA in such a short amount of time. In less than 4 months I made it to11 states, 16 visits, & 15 universities.

This entire journey started with a flight from Charlotte to Atlanta, and it looks like my semester is going to end that way as well. I have been on 39 flights, made one emergency landing, drove to a visit, and spent almost half of my flights either flying to or from Atlanta's airport. I have met some incredible people, and gotten a chance to 'live like a local' in a lot of different places. So, where all have I been?

University of Tennessee, Knoxville
University of Central Oklahoma
University of Northern Arizona
Charleston Southern University
Wittenberg University
University of San Diego
University of Arizona
California State University at San Bernardino
Clemson University
Georgia Southern University
University of Central Florida
Auburn University
Ohio University
University of Michigan
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

As for what I will be doing with my last two weeks.. I will be in Charleston with two other consultants preparing for the installation of the chapter at Charleston Southern University. The women will officially be initiated into our sisterhood and the chapter will be added to the active chapter list, sitting pretty at number 153.

There have been long days, good days, bad days, fun days, and tourist days along the way. I gained a Starbucks Gold Card, turned 22, and somehow kept my two bags under 50 lbs even with my shopping habits. Here's to one last week on the road, before wrapping the semester up in Atlanta with the REST OF THE CONSULTANTS!

Lots of love from Charlotte-Douglas Airport,
Kathryn

Fall Festivities; Consultant Style

Goodness gracious, what a whirlwind of a couple weeks it has been!

To recap my visits, I have spent time at Clemson, Georgia Southern, Central Florida, and Auburn. I got my first taste of fall weather, and loved every minute of it. I got to go to a pumpkin patch during my time at Clemson, found my mom's composite picture and go to the Statesboro Fair with Georgia Southern ADPi, tour Orlando and spend Halloween at Central Florida, and experience the sweet little town of Auburn and pay a visit to my boy Cam Newton's statue during my days at Auburn.

 

 

So, the secret is finally out. A lot of you know that I have been planning a huge surprise to be there to spend my little sister's initiation day with her since about July. Did I take off the weekend prior to my sister even being an Alpha Delta Pi? Yes, but hey, you gotta do what you gotta do. And to say the least, this was a production. (In hindsight, it would have been very awkward to try and explain why I came home on a random weekend if my sister had found her home in another organization..) Every single time we talked on the phone or texted, I wanted to say something about how soon I was going to be home to see her, or even just mention how excited I was. To be honest, the week prior to initiation I basically avoided any and all contact with her because I was so scared I would ruin it all.

To pull this off, I deactivated my Facebook, turned off my location settings on my phone, got my best friend to Instagram a picture of us the night prior to my sister's initiation so she still thought I was in Auburn, stopped SnapChatting for a week.. I mean, the list goes on..

BUT- it was so so so worth it. I seriously could not have imagine a more perfect reaction. My little sister, who is arguably one of the prettiest people I have ever seen, completely ugly-cried when she figured out I was there. I mean, like HUGE tears (I may or may not be tearing up right now just thinking about it). She hugged me so tight and for so long I actually had to ask her to let me go because we were causing such a scene. I think at first she didn't believe it was actually me. Being able to share this day with her, and take her to lunch afterwards is really the most special thing I have done since becoming an Alpha Delta Pi. Driving home afterwards she quizzed me on all things ADPi, and what every little thing means, but it was awesome finally being able to talk about the organization with her and hear the excitement she has for her membership!

As if the week could get any more exciting, I also got to celebrate my birthday this week! Because I was already home for my sister's initiation, I got to go to PF Changs *heart eyes emoji* with my family. I hit the road bright and early Sunday morning, heading for Columbus Ohio and ready to work with the women at Ohio University.

After a week with them, I think I could brave the elements (and trust me, there are a lot) just to spend more time with them! We had a great week together and they even helped me celebrate my birthday! They caught wind I had a big day coming up when flowers were delivered to the house early in the week, and by the time Wednesday came everybody was telling me Happy Birthday every time they saw me, and some of them even brought me birthday treats! We spent the day preparing for their Lion's Share philanthropy event, Mr. University, which raised thousands of dollars for the Ronald McDonald House Charities. I was even lucky enough to be brought up on stage and have all of the men participating in the competition sing my Happy Birthday! A couple of the executive members even took me to dinner afterwards, to make sure I felt loved and celebrated the entire day :)

This weekend, I head out to Ann Arbor to spend some time with the women at the University of Michigan (I will definitely be sure to let them know I went to Appalachian State). I am quickly coming to see I need to go out and invest in a couple scarves and a new pair of boots if I want to stand a chance against winter in the North!

Lots of Love from Georgia, Florida, Alabama, & now Ohio,
Kathryn

9 Weeks Full of Lessons

Okay y'all. I know, I'm a couple visits behind. To be honest, I kinda lost sight of my blog but after seeing so many friends, family, and sisters this weekend and everybody asking where my posts had been, I figured it was time to get back to it.

So, this girl, who has never really been exposed to much culture other than the South, went out and lived on the West Coast for a month (gasp). I spent my time with the University of San Diego, the University of Arizona, and California State University at San Bernardino. I had In-n-Out burger, went paddle boarding (still kinda unsure about that whole experience), WENT TO DISNEY LAND and if you know me well you know I have always and will always be in love with all things Disney, swam in a new ocean with a ton of seaweed, tried AMAZING food, shopped, and saw sights that were absolutely breathtaking (you may have seen them on my SnapChat story..) I have had a lot of time to think about what I have done so far; 20 flights, a couple drives, and countless hours sitting alone in the airports to be exact, and here's what I came up with..

After doing the math, today marks exactly nine weeks on the road. And oh my goodness what a nine weeks it has been. I have completely changed how I operate, look at situations, and approach conversations. I have been challenged in ways I never thought were possible, and learned so much about myself and the woman I have become.

1. NEVER take anything for granted. Not a meal, a bed, being able to watch your favorite team play football, talking to your family whenever you want, having awesome roommates, clean laundry, being in the same time zone as your loved ones, anything. I always had things pretty easy and didn't realize how lucky I was to be able to drive two hours maximum to come home to see my parents for the weekend, or having a car that I could go anywhere in including simple things like going to Target when I'm out of shampoo or going to get Taco Bell late night with my roommates when we get bored and hungry. I know I say this all the time, but keeping in touch is quite a beast. Sometimes, after an afternoon of meetings, I will come back to over 20 texts, just as many emails, and a couple social media notifications as well. I promise I have loved getting all the encouraging words, but sometimes I just simply forget to respond to each of them!

2. The things that really matter in life you can't hold. Seems obvious, right? Well, after wearing the same outfit for the 10th time in 2 weeks, you realize that you really can live without a trip to TJ Maxx for every first date, sorority function, gameday, or random event you think you need to go spend money on. If we judge our successes by how many things we have, I would have basically nothing to show for. But the experiences I have already had after a fraction of my year on the road truly are priceless. Having only two suitcases and one purse to my name really has shown me to be thankful for everything I have and learning to live without a lot of 'frills.' Which I'll be the first to admit, I definitely needed something like this.

3. A thank you goes a long way. We expect so much out of people these days, and rarely do we take time to appreciate their work, let alone them as a person. If you ever want to make somebody's day, thank them for something that you've seen them do recently. Not only will they feel good and like they have made a difference in somebody's life, but hopefully they continue to spread the love.

4. Hand written notes are incredibly underrated. Coming from a girl who looks forward to getting mail every Wednesday, getting letters is literally THE BEST. Not gonna lie, when my parents made me write thank you notes the week after my birthday growing up I always thought it was a pain, but like basically everything else my parents made me do as a little girl growing up I couldn't stand, turns out they were right.. All along. Yes, Rhyne and Sara Anne, here it is in writing that y'all were RIGHT.

5. Go do something that you normally wouldn't do. You only get the opportunity to take advantage of something once with a lot of situations. I have a friend who I usually find myself talking to on the phone during my visits, and they always ask why I'm sitting in a coffee shop (or some other #basic place) when I could be out exploring a new city. In the beginning I always said "cause I'm tired" or "jet lag is a real thing quit hating on me!" But guess what- they are RIGHT. I am probably only going to be in the majority of these cities once in my life, and even if I do come back with business or something in the future, I won't have the freedom of getting to explore the city and bond with sisters at the same time. Make a bucket list for the city you're in and try something new. Go to new restaurants, go exploring out in the city/nature, or at least go to different parts of the campus to study so that after you've spent your time in where ever you are, you feel like you really spent it well and don't drive away with any regrets lingering in the rear-view mirror.

I know this blog post isn't one of my typical ones, but I wanted everybody to know I'm doing well and learning a lot (and thank you for sticking with my rambling for this long!) Being in several leadership roles in college, I kind of always thought I had been challenged and gotten through each of those as a better leader, sister, and person. Little did I know how much this time away from everything I have ever known would allow me to grow much beyond what I ever thought was possible.

Lots of love from  California, Arizona, & now South Carolina,
Kathryn

9 movies, 2 days.

After being basically all over the United States on my first couple of visits, it was time to head up North for a little change of scenery. So, I was born in Ohio- but that's basically my only connection to the state. Could I point it out on a map? Probably not, but I'm sure none of you are surprise. Getting off the plane, I quickly realized that my two cardigans I brought on this trip (the rest of my visits are in California and Arizona for this month) were probably going to get more wear in these 3 days, than probably for the rest of the month.

When I think of the word 'charming,' I think of this little town. Just outside of Dayton in Springfield, Ohio is the quaint little campus of Wittenberg University. The academic buildings look magical, and the entire town reflected this charm. The house, which had perhaps one of the grandest entrances I have seen so far, was the perfect sorority house because it truly felt like a home. I got my own room and bathroom at this house (big deal ya'll), and enjoyed getting to spend time with the sisters.

Coming in at the end of informal recruitment, it was such an exciting time for the chapter. The women invited 14 women to join their sisterhood on Sunday, with a theme of 'We Are Going to Make This Place Your Home.'

Although there was not a ton of time to see the city because I was only in Springfield for 3 full days, we watched plenty of movies, got Chipotle, toured the campus, and sang lots of karaoke at Bid Day. One of the best parts about my time was seeing the senior alpha class walk the new members to the sorority house and having the Deltas line the walkway up to the front door chanting and showing lots of ADPi spirit.

Although this was a short visit, it was so nice to be able to spend time at one of Alpha Delta Pi's oldest chapters, and experience a little piece of their history. The women of Chi chapter showed me that a home isn't a place, but somewhere that you are surrounded by people you love.

Lots of love from Ohio,
Kathryn

Gone to Carolina in my Mind

After two very relaxing days off (I probably slept more that weekend than I have combined my three weeks on the road), I was ready to get back on the road. Luckily, I got to head down to Charleston, SC and spend some time in a great city that wasn't too far from home.

So, after a few hiccups on a Monday morning, I found out I was not going to be able to make it to the apartment I live in with my consultant sister, Rachel, that evening. So what do you do when you're in a panic and need somebody to help you come up with a solution? Call your big diamond sister. What's even better? That my big diamond lives in Charleston and told me to head to her house for a surprise sleepover! Sometimes, things work out just perfectly :) We went down to Folly beach and got to eat & catch up after not seeing each other for most of the summer, which was just the best surprise.

After time with Emily, I hit the ground running the next morning in Charleston. Rachel, the consultant who lives full time at Charleston Southern University, had a full schedule for us that week that included tabling, getting ready for recruitment, meetings, and tying up lose ends. But of course, in true LC fashion, we got to #TreatOurselves and enjoy some of Charleston too, not to mention one too many strawberry limeades to keep us going throughout the week.

Being at a colony is a much different experience than visiting a chapter. At a colony, there is much more time to plan- but it can be more stressful because every responsibility prior to the IOs arriving falls on two people, instead of having an exec team to also work alongside with. However, getting to talk about Alpha Delta Pi on a campus that has no other Panhellenic sororities and talk about the impact that it can have on their lives was an opportunity I'm glad I got to have.

Perhaps the best part of being at a colony is getting to spend time with consultant sisters, as well as getting to know International Officers on a more personal level. Hearing their stories, and seeing how Alpha Delta Pi has aided these women into becoming the leaders that they are is one of the most powerful things I have gotten to hear since my time as a consultant.

My time in Charleston was filled with so much family and sisterhood. Not only did I get to see my big diamond, but also another Appalachian sister I have remained close to- a fellow consultant, Laura Stewart. It was so much fun to get to be around old friends, especially when my travels so far have only consisted meeting new friends! I also got to spend the day with my parents, who can oh-so-conveniently make it down to Charleston basically anytime now that they are empty nesters. We got to spend the day on the beach, (side note- you still need sunscreen in mid September!) and go out to restaurant week with Rachel! The week concluded with welcoming home 49 Alphas into our sisterhood, which was the most rewarding day after a week of hard work!

Speaking of restaurant week (a couple sentences back.. sorry)- that should be on your bucket list for next year. Rachel and I got to eat at a couple different restaurants with some amazinggggg food for even more amazing prices. It's so fun being able to try different things at new restaurants and seeing what truly makes a city special. Although you may walk away from the experience in a food coma, it is well worth it, I promise.

My fourth visit is now in the books. Next up is about my time back where it all started (aka where I was born) in Ohio!

Lots of love from South Carolina,
Kathryn

Ya'll Want Some Sonic?

Wow. That is basically all that comes to mind when I think about my time in Flagstaff, Arizona. But here I go trying to formulate 10 days of great memories into a couple of paragraphs..

So, as every story starts, I get off the plane and go to baggage claim and meet whoever is picking me up. Except, plot twist, this airport is SO small, that I have to walk outside to get off the plane, and the chapter members are waiting for me right when I walk back in the door all wearing matching t-shirts and walk me to baggage claim themselves. How catchy.

I have quickly come to realize that there is this moment when you feel like you've really bonded with the sisters. Well, this visit that moment came pretty quick. About 3 minutes into the car ride from the airport, we had already starting a list of about 12 restaurants (see below) that they wanted to take me to in my 10 days here. And yes, we did complete all of that.. And then some. They might have sized me up a bit, and said I wasn't the stereotypical blonde Southern high-maintenance sorority girl they were expecting, so luckily, I was invited to stay awhile. We headed straight for restaurant number one we wanted to check off the list, and we never looked back.

If you know me, you know one of my favorite things in the world is a Sonic Strawberry Limeade, and I'm more than happy to say I got 5 of these during my stay. Epsilon Xi, I like your style. Not to mention the multiple trips to Chipotle..

Oregano's
Lumber Yard
Fratelli's Pizza
Diablo burgers
Big Foot BBQ
Tappan
Taverna
Wildflower
Wicked
Macy's

So, arriving on campus (which is basically App State on the other side of the country) they said that they have a situation different than many other chapters, and that they all live in a dorm and each sorority has its own wing. Ohhh, never heard of that one before ;)

After walking into the dorm during Spirit Week, I met the chapter and they asked the normal questions of what positions I had, where I went to school *somebody in crowd asks if we are the team that beat Michigan*, where I grew up, how long I'm there for, and maybe to say a couple different words since they don't get to hear somebody with an accent everyday.

I got to truly experience all that Flagstaff has to over by my three roommates/ tour guides/ power suite dwellers. 2 chainz, El Presidente, and Katie, thanks for loving me way too well, feeding me at all hours of the night // even when I wasn't hungry, and fully embracing the #TreatYourself motto. I'm so happy I got the chance to live with ya'll for 10 days and change your mind about a rando moving into your place!

The more I got to explore, the more I fell in love with this little mountain town. As we all know, I'm a bit biased to the South, and never expected I could love some place so much that is far far away from North Carolina. Although half my times out of the dorm came in the form of a frantic trip to a storage unit or Target, I can always count on Miss Prez to show me around, convince me to take a food detour, and make an incredibly detailed list to make even the most complicated task seem easy.

Recruitment here is 4 separate rounds including Meet the Chapters, Philanthropy, Sisterhood, and Preference. The women worked hard at all hours of the night to make sure their chapter room was decorated to match each individual theme of the day. Like almost all recruitments, the nights were long, and the days were filled with great conversation- which all paid off in the end when Epsilon Xi had 69 women running to their chapter on Bid Day! They had a new Bid Day theme that I had never seen before- Glam Rock- and the sisters really went all out, which made the Alphas become even more excited to join!

Tangent: Another fabulous thing that happened during my time here is something I have been dreaming of. My biological little sister also became my Alpha Delta Pi sister. The entire chapter here cheered when I screamed that she accepted her bid, and that moment was just another reason I fall in love with this sisterhood more and more each day.

Ok back to Arizona: To top off all the great things that happened in the past week, we decided to wake up (at 3:30 in the morning) and go watch the sunrise at the Grand Canyon. If you haven't ever seen it before, stop reading this write now and go make it your number one thing to do on your bucket list. You won't think it is the best idea when you pile in the car at 4 am, but trust me, you won't regret it once you get out there. I thought you would be able to basically drive up next to it and look right over the ledge, but no. There is no signs saying 'huge hole ahead' or anything of that sort.. Just signs for the free Wi-Fi. Just look for the official-looking people with the big backpacks and they will point you in the right direction.

Epsilon Xi, you showed this LC the true meaning of Living for Each Other, and I will always have a special spot for Flagstaff, Mountain View, and the your chapter in my heart. I will always remember Timothy and his 5 years of service, Taco Bell apparently closing at midnight, and the delirium that sets in after a mixture of 5 espresso shots and 24+ hours with no sleep. Until next time, Flagstaff.

Lots of Love from Arizona,
Kathryn

OklaHOMEa

Being from the South, I have never really gotten to spend much time in the Midwest (aka basically Jason Alden was calling me out personally in his song Fly Over States). So, when I saw the Theta Xi chapter on my schedule for August visits, I was so excited to spend some time in another part of the country. Flying in, I really didn't believe it when I could see flatness, literally, for MILES. It was time for this Southern girl to get a little taste of the Midwest and everything it has to offer.

Per usual, I made my way to baggage claim anxiously awaiting meeting the members who were picking me up. I later found out, that while they didn't know what I look like, they picked me out of the crowd solely based on how much jewelry I was wearing and my "impressive arm stack." Not sure if I should be proud or ashamed of that, but I guess there are just some things you can't change about a girl. ANYWAYS, I flew into Oklahoma City, and was driven to Edmond, which is only about 20 minutes away, to a quaint little place called the University of Central Oklahoma.

Upon my arrival, the women had their house all tidy, t-shirts and other ADPi treats waiting on my bed, and a group waiting to take me out to dinner (sushi of course!). I quickly realized that I am basically eating my way through the United States, but that's nothing you will ever hear me complain about. Also while in Oklahoma, I got to go to a restaurant called 'Pops' which basically has anyyyy kind of soda you want (sorry if you follow me on Instagram & already knew this but I at least added a different picture to the blog).

 

 

I unfortunately did not get to see all of Theta Xi's Spirit Week due to the time of my arrival, but I was excited to jump right into recruitment! With a recruitment theme like OklaHOMEa (hence this blog posts title), I knew they were going to do everything in their power to make the women going through recruitment realize Alpha Delta Pi is truly a home away from home!

 

Sometimes, the most fun at a chapter is when you can count the number of hours of sleep you have had in the last week on one hand. This time, I had the chapter's recruitment advisor Kristyn (the Amy to my Tina Fey) as my right hand man to make jokes with me, quote Bridesmaids, speak in only hashtags, & keep spirits high through the long hours of recruitment.

 

 

After 3 days of recruitment (open house, skit night, & preference round) I am happy to say the Theta Xi chapter welcomed home 43 new Alphas into their sisterhood! They welcomed them with a fun "ADParadise" bid day theme, complete with inflatables, a cook out, snow cones, and of course cheering and dancing!

Although my time in Oklahoma was short, I really loved getting to spend time in Edmond and working with both collegians and advisors at all hours of the night. One of the best parts of my job is seeing how every chapter has things that make them unique, but how the Alpha Delta Pi bond is visible no matter how far you may travel away from Macon, Georgia.

Lots of love from Oklahoma,
Kathryn

Good Ole' Rocky Top

To say the least, the Alpha Kappa chapter of Alpha Delta Pi has set the bar high for what an LC visit should be. These girls are caring, funny, sweet, welcoming, & have a lot of great things going for them! After three incredible weeks in Atlanta learning about all things Alpha Delta Pi, I was definitely ready for some real-world experience and to see what the University of Tennessee had to offer.

I got to Knoxville at the beginning of Spirit Days- which for all you non-ADPi sisters is the week before recruitment begins where the entire chapter works on recruitment polishing. This being my first chapter visit, I had absolutely NO idea what to expect. So, I got off the plane, made my way to baggage claim, met the president, and jut took things as they came from there. Side note- walking into a room full of 150 women who you don't know and having to make friends is quite the challenge. Alpha Kappa did a great job of giving each Spirit Day a theme; pictured below is the lovely President, Merrell, on Hawaiian day (other themes included sports jersey day & ADPi spirit day).

Anyway, Alpha Kappa hooked a sista up. I got my own bed, a top-notch roommate who is oh-so-cleverly pictured below (and God bless her for never making me feel awkward about taking over half her room for 10 days. Hailey, you're gonna do BIG things for Alpha Kappa and I can't wait to watch your journey unfold), bags full of my favorite snacks, and warm welcomes from every sister that came in contact with me. Additionally, my first meal in Knoxville was sushi.. Can you say hashtag SOLD?! In addition to getting to eat my favorite food, I also got to experience some of the cool 'local' things to do including Old City, downtown, Market Square, Calhoun's, & campus tours. The advisors for the chapter also went above and beyond and took me to several meals, which is basically one of the biggest treats to a LC and NEVER goes unnoticed.

During recruitment the girls showcased their sisterhood in Go Greek round, made every woman in the room laugh during their skit round (I even sometimes strangely laugh to myself when I think of the ultimate 'frat stars'), and sold 60 woman on how strong our sisterhood is during preference round. A 1,000 person recruitment is no laughing matter, but thanks to the officers, recruitment team, and dedication of the chapter, the girls made it look effortless. I may not know the real Rocky Top song, but you can bet I know the whole ADPi version that's sung in recruitment!

My 10 days in Knoxville came to a close after one of my most favorite parts of the Alpha Delta Pi experience- BID DAY. With a theme like a "League of Our Own," I'm sure you can only imagine how much fun the chapter and new Alphas had during their first night together. It was filled with hot dogs, funnel cakes (!!!), ADPi pride, & of course lots of chanting and dancing in the dreamy Pi Palace.

 

 

So, without getting TOO sappy, I want to thank the Alpha Kappa chapter for all they did for me, and mostly because no sister ever hesitated to reach out to make my visit the most enjoyable possible. Thank you for the late night runs to Chipotle/Insomnia Cookies, smiles when I was awkwardly sitting in the corner on Spirit Days, listening to me and how I would ramble at 3 a.m, showering me with t-shirts, crazy amounts of candy, keeping up with my adventures, and most importantly, making me fall in love with my job each and every day.

 

Lots of Love from Tennessee,

Kathryn

Pi Palace Livin'

Coming in as no surprise to any of you I'm sure, I instantly fall in love with any and all things Alpha Delta Pi, and this week was no different. The 9 of us have laughed, cried (well, mostly just Kara), learned about all things ADPi, watched Jimmy Kimmel videos (hashtag we canttttt stop), loved, found random dino statues when we got lost, tried hot yoga, and figured out just how long our attention spans really are.

So, let me back up. Of course, the one flight I have arguably been most looking forward to in my entire life was delayed.. Two hours. Oh and not to mention my mom and sister had already left me at the airport so it was my first true test on how I will manage without my family so close by. On the bright side, I had some Friday Night Lights episodes to catch up on and time passed as quickly as possible with me checking my phone every two minutes. So, finally, after waiting not-so-patiently on my 38 minute flight, I got to Atlanta. A group of my consultant sisters who had already arrived earlier in the day were waiting outside of baggage claim (in a bright red van) to bring me home to good ole 1386 Ponce. Side Note: Because we are under 25, the insurance does not allow us to rent SUVs so we get two fancy red mini-vans to drive all around Atlanta until our little hearts are content. And yes, it is as funny seeing 9 sorority girls grouped into a mini-van as you may imagine.

Our first day was nothing short of ADPi Christmas. It was like I was re-living my bid day all over again when we walked into the training room and saw all of our goodies set up! We had brand new Windows tablets, phones (which are also Windows and it's a good laugh watching all of us trying to do basic things like even call and text on them), OUR SCHEDULES FOR AUGUST (!!!), office supplies, & the thing I have been most wanting for FOREVER- my fancy gold name tag (hashtag official)! In addition to all this, we also had a welcome breakfast with the staff here at EO- ya'll all know Panera is the way to my heart. Bagels, presents, and re-connecting with my consultant sisters made for a pretty great Tuesday.

As for what has been taking up my time between the hours of 9-6 pm (the 6 pm time is flexible.. Sometimes more like 11:30 pm), there has been a LOT. Total membership education, recruitment, RFM reports, Pi portal, ritual, house rules, and membership services galore! Our boss has coordinated the puzzle that is our 3 weeks here at EO and brought in lots of incredible women to teach us about their areas of expertise to ensure we are armed and ready for our year ahead.

When we get some free time, you can find us at the local hot yoga studio (I was told I'm a natural, which is weird because me.. being calm.. and quiet.. in 116 degrees for 75 minutes.. Yeah, doesn't add up to me either), at a Braves game, grabbing Chipotle, mani/pedis, trying to practice our presentation skills, or just hanging out trying to get as much time together before our time on the road. I think I have had more drinks from Starbucks in the past week than I have since I started college, but hey, that's nothing to complain about.

Even though I am not exactly hitting it out of the park when it comes to calling people back (and I may have even missed a few texts?? Sorry, life is a lot harder with two phones), I wanted to thank everybody for checking in to make sure I am loving every minute so far. It's tough not being able to spend time with all of my loved ones, but I love knowing that people are missing me back home and we will pick back up when I get the chance to come home.

Lots of love from Georgia,
Kathryn

Wheels Up!

Well, ya'll, the time is here! Or really.. The time was here (sorry I'm a little late). 

I had my first official task as a Leadership Consultant! 

This journey has been a long time comin', just ask any of my chapter sisters- I have been dreaming of having the honor to be a consultant basically since day 1 in Alpha Delta Pi. I'm happy to say that this journey has finally begun!

Being my first conference for ADPi other than DLC, I was excited to see our sisterhood on a larger scale. Atlanta has always been a city I have loved and wanted to live in, so getting to spend a week there was just an added bonus! The facilitators for Leadership Seminar clearly put hours of work into both Adelphean Compass and Impact- but I believe their work was well worth it and we will see a lot of positive response from chapters in the coming months.

I could not have imagined a more perfect group of women to work with. From the moment we met, it was like we had grown up together. The nine of us were laughing, taking pictures, sharing about our college towns (God bless Boone), and loving spending time together within an hour of arriving at the hotel. Our roommates for the week were randomly selected; and shout out to my girl Nicole Nunes from Tau (University of Kansas) for being too much fun & a great source of inspiration and constant laughter! 

The five days we spent in Atlanta were filled with all sorts of ADPi activities and leadership development! Some of my favorite parts were getting to know past Leadership Consultants, meeting with International Officers, lunch with Grand Council, filming the LC video for this year (& bless the videographer's heart for putting up with us and our constant laughter and retakes), and visiting our Executive Office and Memorial Headquarters (where I will be living soon!). 

Another highlight of the weekend was receiving my Violet sister! Much like the big/little diamond program utilized by chapters, we each got a mentor from the previous class of consultants that is going to be our special sister during this year! I was so excited when Kashia Wolfe told me that I was hers- as I had met her back at DLC in March and absolutely fell in love with her spunk, outgoing personality, and love of life! 

The week I spent starting off this incredible experience I am about to have was an absolute dream! This girl is officially headin' back to Atlanta for good on July 21st for 3 weeks of training, and then off to somewhere in America (or Canada!) for my first visit on August 11th! Can't wait to see what all is in store for me :)

Lots of love from North Carolina,

Kathryn