home stretch

So again, it has been a while.  I think I have said that at the beginning of over half of my posts...but that's just because at the start of this whole gig, I had every intention of posting at least once a week.  That was all fine and dandy until this job rocked my world, and I realized it really takes my whole self to be good at it.


But this is why I will give myself to Tri Delta for as long as I am able:
      Because it completely shaped my collegiate expereince.
      Because God used it to teach me patience and unselfish leadership.
      Because it helped give me the confidence to lead a group of 250 women.
            And then teach women how to lead countless more collegians.
      Because it forced me to figure out who I am.
            And to work for things that mean a lot to me.
            And introduced me to thousands of women who value the same thing.
     Because I see collegiate women growing into role models every single day.
            And I get to be one of those role models.
     Because I get to do something amazing like this as my first "real" job.


And the kicker of it all - half of the women I am giving my life to right now don't even understand what my position is.  They don't know what a Field Consultant does and are blind to the bigger picture of Tri Delta.  But that is where I come in.  I get to teach. guide. direct. motivate. inspire.


Wow.


These past few weeks have been so full of everything mentioned above. But I have really gotten into the rhythm of travel and chapter visits.  I left off at UT Arlington, so here is what I've been up to since then...


Texas Tech University (Lubbock, Texas)
Tech was one of my favorites.  I was living the good life staying at the Embassy Suites in Lubbock - which doesn't get enough credit by the way.  All I heard was that it was "in the middle of nowhere"...which it kind of was...but Lubbock itself is a pretty cool place.  Tech is the second largest continuous campus in the United States to the Air Force Academy.  Pretty neat claim to fame.  The chapter was great and reminded me a lot of my Alpha Lambda loves back in SC!  Plus they loaded me up with shirts.  I mean about 10. Seriously.  While I was in Lubbock I witnessed my first dust storm and let me tell ya folks, I was pretty freaked out.  It looked like a plague straight out of the Bible!  The sky got red and, well, dusty in a matter of minutes.  Luckily it passed rather quickly.  And I don't think I ever want to experience one of those again.

Taken about 5:00pm - crazy!

Northern Arizona University (Flagstaff, Arizona)
Flagstaff has now taken the number 1 spot for prettiest places I have visited.  I loved loved loved the mountains surrounding the campus and lucked into having gorgeous weather for my entire visit.  If they didn't have such frigid winters and weren't so far from the beach and South Carolina - I'd totally move there.  So obviously I never would, but I kinda entertained the idea.  The chapter was amazing too.  Such a great group of women, and I got along with them immediately.  If only I had been able to participate in their famed homecoming event "Tequila Sunrise"...you know, where the bars open at 6am on game day.  All they need is some real tailgating and they would be set!

Beautiful Flagstaff!

University of Oregon (Eugene, Oregon)
MY FIRST VISIT WITH ANOTHER CONSULTANT!  And it was as great as it sounds.  I was giddy with excitement my entire first class ride to Eugene to see Miss Morgan Wolber and play in Oregon with her.  You read that right, first class.  Kim our fabulous travel agent really gave me a great surprise that day.  Free Mojitos - yes please!  Don't worry, we didn't have any meetings on our arrival day.  Morgan and I took full advantage of our time together - visiting both the Oregon coast and Portland during the 4 day visit. We went to the Oregon Zoo, International Rose Test Gardens, and saw some creepy little seaside town that would probably be less scary when in season.  We also had the chance to go out for a few drinks with some other consultants...a taste of normalcy!  I could do this job forever (longer than a year anyway) if I always had a travel buddy.

Morgan and I in Newport, Oregon

Jacksonville University (Jacksonville, Florida)
Never have I ever seen so many beautiful live oaks on a campus.  The campus is small but almost every bit of it is shaded by a gorgeous oak tree.  It felt great to visit a chapter close enough to home that they had heard of my hometown.  Okay, maybe they were just saying they had to make me feel better...but at least they knew where Columbia was.  Marine Science is also huge at JU, so I got to take a tour of their great facility!  It was really neat to be a nerd and look around at all of their equipment.  I got to stay in the chapter room on the Tri Delta dorm hall so I had plenty of space :)  And it was all decorated for Halloween so I got to celebrate a little bit, even if it was while working on reports.

On campus at JU

University of Iowa (Iowa City, Iowa)
Here I am in Iowa City, trying not to freeze.  The girls make me feel better about being a cold-wimp though, because they agree it is frigid in the mornings.  I am staying in their big, beautiful chapter house and the area is really pretty neat.  I wasn't sure how I'd feel about Iowa (since all I think of in association is corn) but I'm a fan!  I am here until Tuesday (the 8th) when I drive to Des Moines to visit Iowa State.  THAT should be an interesting road trip.  Hopefully I don't get lost in a field.