Back At It

What a crazy couple of months.

After a couple last visits, a week in Hotlanta with the other consultants (#soblessed), and quick girls trip to New England (#kcandoesthenorth), it was finally time to head back HOME to good ole Charlotte, North Carolina.

During my time home I got to see my parents & sissy, extended family, the Carolina Panthers <3, and allllll my best friends. I slept more during those 3 weeks than I probably had the 6 months prior to that, went to a couple Hornets games, saw my Carolina Panthers advance in the play-offs, and ate some really good food with even better people. If you know me at all, you know that I am overly obsessed with Charlotte, the South, and all the perks that come with it. However, my need to travel still isn't quite satisfied..




So, back on the road I went. First up was Virginia Tech. How have I never been to Blacksburg? I'm not sure. But, it was a good way to start my new semester on the road because I got two weeks back in the Appalachian Mountains. I got a nice dose of the cold during my time there, when the wind chill dropped to below 0 on more than one occasion. Perks of longer visits mean you really get to know everybody and see what makes the chapter so successful. Never will I ever be able to hear the song Only without thinking about chapter-wide dance parties before recruitment parties. Not to mention, having Cook Out close by again was worth gold.

Blacksburg --> Roanoke --> Atlanta --> SAN DIEGO

Finally, reunited with my Zeta Pi sistas. After spending a week and a half with this chapter last semester, I knew if somebody got to come back I wanted it to be me. What's the hardest thing about the road? You get to spend only a couple days with people you love being around and have to say bye until DLC // Convention // maybe forever. Best part about revisiting a chapter? You already have FRIENDS somewhere. Not to mention they already know the answers to the top 10 questions every chapter wants to know about me & they already know how to correctly pronounce Appalachian.

My week and a half in San Diego was spent revisiting all of my favorite restaurants, catching up with old friends from the road, at my favorite Mission Beach house on the futon I have formally claimed as my own, and watching the chapter do their thing during Formal Recruitment and make quota!




Where to next?! HOME HOME HOME HOME HOME for a quick 48 hour detour to the East Coast.


I'm sure nobody is surprised I purposefully planned my January days off around my favorite holiday, Super Bowl Sunday ;)

See ya again on Monday #WestCoastBestCoast

Lots of love from California,

Kathryn

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