2011 RewindFriday, December 30, 2011
“Learn from yesterday. Live for today. Hope for tomorrow.” - Einstein
I know I say it all the time, but I seriously CANNOT believe that 2011 is coming to an end! This was a big year for me. I mean, seriously! So what better way to sum up the year than with a Top 10 countdown?! Here goes nothing…
2011 Top 10 Moments
#10 Summer Concert Series: This was the best summer for concerts included on the Country MegaTicket. Who needs front row seats when you have the lawn?! Concerts have been a recurring event every summer since my freshman year of high school, and they’re something I look forward to every year! This year I saw: Jason Aldean, Eric Church, JaneDear Girls; Brad Paisley, Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Jerrod Neimann; Kenny Chesney, Billy Currington, Uncle Kracker; Tim McGraw, Luke Bryan, The Band Perry; Rascal Flatts, Sara Evans, Justin Moore, Easton Corbin.
Ashton and I during one of the concerts!
#9 Traveling: The whole reason I started this blog was because of this job (see #2)! Even though I was a “resident” this semester and spent most of my time living in New Orleans, I still got to do quite a bit of traveling. I calculated this (I had 4 weeks off for break – not complaining! – but I had to do something with my time!) – since the end of July, I’ve been on 33 flights, went through 9 states, and visited 7 chapters. Yes, this job is still pretty cool and yes, I still enjoy it, all of it. J
from my very first visit to OSU - I went a total of 3 times this semester
#8: Family Vacay in Florida: I’m still in Florida right now and this trip has been nothing but fun. You can expect a blog to follow with all the details. Give me a book (or my Nook J), my iPod, and the beach and I’m the happiest person you’ll ever meet. With nowhere to go and nowhere to be, this has been the perfect family vacation.
now playing: "Knee Deep" by Zac Brown Band
#7 Spring Break: During my freshman, sophomore, and junior Spring Breaks, I went with a few different friends each year to random places down south. My senior year I decided to go with the rest of Hanover College and headed down to Gulf Shores, Alabama. I had too much fun soaking up the sun, hanging out with my friends, and enjoying every second we had there. ‘Tis mediocre.
we went all the way to the famous Flora-Bama just to get a koozie!
#6 Passing Comps: Senior Comprehensive Exams. I had anxiety about these ever since I stepped foot on campus in August 2007. After recruitment and interviews, my entire life starting in mid-January was devoted to studying for these bad boys. There were 4 impossible parts that I somehow passed with a B+. I’ve never worked so hard or felt more relieved to get a B+. The best part about all of it? I could officially graduate with that passing grade. J
this has nothing to do with comps but it's my little and little little who I absolutely love.
#5 New Friends: This fall I’ve met so many people and have made so many new friends. From the other consultants, HQ staff, collegians, and volunteers, I’ve met some people who I’ll be keeping in touch with for the rest of my life. And luckily I’ve still been able to keep in touch with my friends from home even with the distance. I feel so blessed to have all of these wonderful people in my life right now!
training...ohhhh the memories. I think we knew each other for about 3 days at the time of this picture.
#4 Christmas: The week before Christmas we celebrated with my mom’s side of the family with around 30 people in my grandparent’s house. It’s probably my favorite day of the year. I’ve outgrown the presents stage and now all of the great-grandchildren are the ones sitting around the tree ripping open their presents after our big lunch, but it’s still such a fun day getting to see everyone. On Christmas Day, my family just spent the day at home and we had a nice, relaxing day. Having both my brother and me home so that the entire family was together was the best Christmas gift of all.
my mom still makes us a take this picture every year at my grandparent's house!
#3 Spring Term: My senior Spring Term was hands down the best 4 weeks of my life. We have 2 regular semesters and then we have Spring Term where you take 1 class for 4 weeks and enjoy your time as the school year winds down. We go to class for just a few hours a day, then go on hikes, hang out, go on road trips, and pretty much do whatever we want. Lambda Chi Alpha puts on a wiffleball tournament as a philanthropy event and we spend our evenings out at the wiffleball field. Yes, you read that correctly, the wiffleball field. And yes, there are specific rules. And yes, I played on 5 different teams my senior year. And yes, our house mom pinch hit for me and I ran for her (she got walked). I just can’t put into words how much fun we all had and how we made sure to enjoy every single second with graduation looming at the end of those 4 weeks. If I could go back, I’d do it all again.
PROOF that our house mom played in a wiffleball game - and check out that crowd for our game!
#2 Getting a Job: I found out in February right around my birthday that I got this job – talk about a huge stress relief! I had something lined up for after graduation and could focus on the rest of my senior year. I can’t say enough about how thankful I am to just have a job, especially when some of my friends are still searching for jobs. I wouldn’t trade this experience for anything in the world!
lunch with the National President back in August!
#1 Graduation: This. Was. Huge! I remember that weekend perfectly. My chapter held a cookout for all of our families that Friday evening. Saturday morning I woke up bright and early to get ready. I had a legacy family picture that morning with the fam and then we headed back to the Phi Mu house for a really nice luncheon that we have every year. Shortly after that, it was time to head out to The Point to get lined up. We had prayed and hoped all week that it wouldn’t rain so that we could have graduation outside. Thankfully, the rain held off that afternoon and it turned out to be a beautiful day. Because I have smart roomies, we were almost at the end of the line and were very close to sitting next to each other (we behaved, I promise!). Cue the graduation music and it was time to walk. As we headed in I spotted my brother (he’s 6’7 after all!) and the rest of my family. The ceremony was perfect. We finally got to the last row and it was time. Talk about a huge sense of accomplishment walking across that stage, shaking Dr. DeWine’s hand, and finally getting that diploma. As we exited through the tunnel of professors cheering for us, it really hit me that this was it. I had finally graduated! It was such a bittersweet moment but I tried to enjoy it all and take it all in without letting the sadness get to me. I made my rounds and said as many “see you laters” as I could (I hate goodbyes) and then headed back to the Phi Mu house one last time. I was really ok until it was just me…in my room…with none of our decorations up…with the desks, closets, and dressers empty…with the futon gone…and the room just looked so empty. It was then that the memories of the last 4 years came flooding back and I realized I would miss that place more than I ever could’ve imagined. Bittersweet doesn’t even begin to describe it, but at the same time, I could not have been happier to have that diploma in my hand!
at The Point pretty close to where I walked across the stage and said goodbye to the best 4 years.
So there it is, my top moments of 2011 and what a year it has been! As for resolutions, I’ve got only 1 this year and thanks to a good friend of mine, I think I’ll be able to finally accomplish it this year!
2011, you’ve been so good to me. 2012, bring it on. Can’t wait to see what you have in store for me!
All I Want for ChristmasSunday, December 25, 2011
“All I want for Christmas is a real good tan, take me to the islands put my feet in the sand, rocking to and fro with the rhythm of the ocean, singing Silent Night with the palm trees blowing. Don’t you think it’s a pretty good plan? All I want for Christmas is a real good tan.” – Kenny Chesney
The presents have been opened and Christmas dinner has been made! Now all that’s left to do is pack for Florida! My mom and I leave first thing in the morning to spend a week with my grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins. We didn’t have a white Christmas, which just doesn’t quite seem right, but it’ll still be nice to get out of this cold weather and into that Florida sunshine.
the annual Christmas Card picture. aren't we just adorable?
It was great to have my brother home and we all had a great day opening presents, spending time together, eating good food, and laughing until we cried. It doesn’t get much better than this! He still picked on me and called me names just like when we were younger - I guess that just comes with being the little sister. Glad to know some things never change!
So, let’s recap:
Leaving this...
To go to this...
Excited? YOU HAVE NO IDEA. (!!!!!!!!!!!!)
Good News of Great Joy
“But the angel said to them, ‘Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.’” – Luke 2:10-11
Merry Christmas, everyone!
"Mary and Joseph" - Dave Barnes
“We got a King; they got a son.
Mary and Joseph were the only ones
there on that very first Christmas day.”
A Very Merry ChristmasTuesday, December 20, 2011
“The old neighborhood always looked so good each December. We say hello to the friends we can and can’t remember. Then the hand bells ring and all the children sing. Then we talk so late that the fireplace is on the embers. You and me and all this family… We’re gonna have a merry Christmas, babe, a very merry Christmas, baby.” – Dave Barnes
Since last time…
I went on a little Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee road trip and had the absolute best time during my first week home for the holidays!
Last Wednesday evening I headed down to Hanover to see some friends (happy birthday, Jess!) and on Thursday morning I headed to Bowling Green, Kentucky to meet up with phimucc Hanna! Friday night we headed down to Nashville for the Dave Barnes Christmas concert. I fell in love with Dave Barnes (again) that night and also with Nashville…and with Matt Wertz, Ben Rector, and Gabe Dixon since they were special guests at the concert! Saturday morning I made my way back home and stopped in Hanover again that night to see one of my old roommates and some other friends who were in town. Sunday morning I headed straight to my grandparent’s house for the Morris Family Christmas! It was a busy few days but so worth it and so much fun!
 
we always have those other phimuccs in mind at all times. GATOR CHOMP.
 
Dave Barnes and my big brother. love them both!
This week will be full of finishing up Christmas shopping, heading to the Christmas Eve church service (my favorite of the year!), celebrating Christmas at home with the fam, and heading to Florida the day after Christmas to be with the extended fam!
Back Where I Come FromMonday, December 12, 2011“Back where I come from, where I’ll be when it’s said and done. I’m as proud as anyone, that’s where I come from.” – Kenny Chesney I left New Orleans early Saturday morning, met up with a few friends throughout the day, landed in Indy to my mom saying “Put on your winter coat!” before she even said “Hi!” and got home around 10pm that night. I could not be more happy or excited to be home for a few weeks! Here’s to a worry-free and stress-free break because as Francis Chan talks about in his book Crazy Love, “Worry implies that we don’t quite trust that God is big enough, powerful enough, or loving enough to take care of what’s happening in our lives. Stress says that the things we are involved in are important enough to merit our impatience, our lack of grace toward others, or our tight grip of control.” I just started reading this book, but I'm sure there will be more posts about it in the very near future. Until then, good luck to my college friends finishing up their finals – I absolutely do not envy you right now!
"Can Boone Pickens Just Buy Us a Spot in the National Championship Game?"Friday, December 9, 2011“There’s bound to be rough waters, and I know I’ll take some falls. But with the good Lord as my captain, I can make it through them all.” – Garth Brooks Even though I’m a child of the ‘80s, growing up in the ‘90s, I loved Garth Brooks…and still do. So it’s only fitting that I visited his alma mater 3 times this semester! Garth came to Stillwater on a track scholarship and graduated in 1984 with a degree in advertising.  when I saw this view back in August, I was scared to death. this time, chapter members met me at the front door and I felt right at home. I can’t believe my final chapter visit of the semester has come and gone. I seriously cannot believe how fast this semester has flown by! Taking a trip down memory lane, I landed in Oklahoma City and made my way to Stillwater on August 5 for my very first chapter visit. It honestly seems like just yesterday, but thinking about everything that has happened since then makes me very grateful and thankful that I have this job! I’ve learned so much and have grown so much since I first set foot on this campus. I can’t wait to continue to grow and to hopefully continue to assist and inspire these chapters as I make my way across Phi Mu America. This time when I arrived in Stillwater, OSU had just beaten OU the night before in the Bedlam game. The girls were still so excited about the win and I heard so many funny stories from the night before. That night, we watched the BCS standings be revealed and I have to say, I was almost as upset as they were to see that OSU ended up #3 behind LSU and Alabama. I was hoping for a chance to see OSU play in the National Championship Game! Because I have visited this chapter 3 times this semester, when I come back it’s always fun to just catch up with friends. The first night I was here, I met with both the new and old Executive Committees to get them thinking about some goals for next semester. Working with new Executive Committees is always fun for me, and it’s exciting to see them so excited and ready to tackle the challenge of their positions. I have so much invested in this chapter and have loved seeing them grow and watching leaders step up since that first visit back in August. The chapter also had a hot chocolate social event with some members of the Greek community, which was perfect since their house is decorated so beautifully for the holiday season!   it only took us 5 minutes to get a good picture I have loved getting to work with this chapter and am so thankful for the friends I’ve made. I was sad to leave knowing that this was the last visit I would make to this chapter! Lots of laughs and plenty of memories on this visit: Qdoba running out of tortillas…what?! Hearing my least favorite phrase – “Yo Nationals!” Seeing the house mom’s grandson An inspiring and honest conversation with the next President An emerging leader wanting to help a sister out (blog coming soon!) Driving 2 hours round-trip to only stay 15 minutes at Sam’s Club Seeing one of my favorite Greek Advisers from all of my travels Making plans to meet up in May with one of the chapter members when she comes to Indiana A fun dinner with 2 chapter members at a new restaurant in Stillwater Getting tshirts because I may or may not have asked if they had any extras J  a gift from the house mom's 7 year old grandson that he picked out all by himself. HOW PRECIOUS. Now I'm back in New Orleans for a day and then home for about a month! I’m so looking forward to some time off and spending time with family and friends. What a great semester it’s been – already looking forward to what next semester holds!
Training WheelsFriday, December 2, 2011“To serve in the light of truth, avoiding egotism, narrowness, and scorn.” – Phi Mu Creed I had a meeting with a newly elected Executive Committee officer this week. As we were going through the typical meeting questions and just checking in on things, I asked her, “Ok, so tell me about some goals you have for this chapter overall.” We had a great discussion and she brought up some really great ideas. Then I asked, “Ok, anything else…?” because sometimes these officers, especially new ones, just need a little bit of a push and a little bit of encouragement for them to say exactly what they want to. After she hesitated for a moment, she said something that literally almost made me start to tear up. What she said is exactly what I’ve been trying to get this chapter to understand the entire semester. At times I felt like I wasn’t getting through to them, and I’ve been continually trying to think of ways to make them understand. When she said that, without me having to try and lead her in the direction to get to that conclusion…talk about a pretty big “small victory.” They are listening; they are understanding; they are growing as a chapter. Meetings like this are a constant reminder of why I'm here. Tomorrow we have our New Officer Training/Transition, which is something I’m really looking forward to! It’s one of my favorite things that I get to do with this job. I consider myself very lucky to have the opportunity to get these women ready to take over leadership positions in this chapter! Even though I won’t get to work with this new Executive Committee next semester, it’s still exciting to push them and challenge them and see where they want to take this chapter.  I woke up to this amazing sight after a nap on one of my flights. it's pretty amazing some of the sights that you see from the air! Here’s to keeping our horizons short and remembering that there’s always room for improvement! P.S. I LOVE THE PHI MU CREED. P.P.S. I MISS MY PHIMUCC SISTER FRIENDS.
Don't Give Up, Don't Ever Give UpWednesday, November 30, 2011“You are in the Army. You’re in my Army. Every day between 3-5.” – Coach Norman Dale, “Hoosiers” As you can tell from this blog, I’m a huge fan of quotes. Song lyrics, movie quotes, sports quotes, life quotes…whatever, I love them all. I’ve also touched on my strong belief that so much about life can be learned through sports. So to have a basketball coach give so much insight about life and achieving your dreams…I love it. Growing up in a basketball household (my dad being a Hall of Fame basketball coach and my brother being a current basketball coach), I learned very quickly the respect that coaches deserve. When the coach talks, you listen. You don’t talk back and you do what the coach says without question, whether you agree or not. And I can’t even begin to tell you how many times I felt like I was in the Army every day during practices from 3-5 or whenever practice was that day. But just like in the Army, you understand the respect that your leaders deserve. I just love that quote…mostly because it’s from one of my favorite movies. Because of that strong respect I have for coaches, Jimmy V’s inspiring story is one I have to share. For those who don’t know, Jim “Jimmy V” Valvano was the basketball coach at North Carolina State who was battling cancer. It was almost 20 years ago that he gave one of the greatest speeches at the ESPY Awards in 1993. At this time, he partnered with ESPN to start the V Foundation, which funds cancer research – thus, this week is known as “Jimmy V Week.” The tagline for the V Foundation is, “Don’t give up, don’t ever give up.” Less than two months after the speech, he lost his battle with cancer. It’s only fitting that I write about this because from this speech comes one of my all-time favorite quotes – and the quote that I used to start this blog back in July: “How do you go from where you are to where you want to be? I think you have to have an enthusiasm for life. You have to have a dream, a goal. You have to be willing to work for it.” And I’ll end with this one, which is how he ended the speech…pretty self-explanatory: “I just got one last thing, I urge all of you, all of you, to enjoy your life, the precious moments you have. To spend each day with some laughter and some thought, to get your emotions going. To be enthusiastic every day and as Ralph Waldo Emerson said, ‘Nothing great could be accomplished without enthusiasm.’ To keep your dreams alive in spite of problems whatever you have. The ability to be able to work hard for your dreams to come true, to become a reality.” Thanksgiving BreakMonday, November 28, 2011“Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good; His love endures forever.” – Psalm 118 “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” – 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 Where do I even begin?! What a perfect and relaxing week it’s been at home – so much to be thankful for. I’ll keep it short and sweet: I’m most thankful for my family, my friends, a job, safety as I travel, and my health. Here’s a quick recap of my week at home…but let me first say that I love being home. J My first night at home I slept for 15 hours...clearly those last 3 weeks did me in! I went to both the boys’ and girls’ high school basketball games in the Mill – so many memories in that gym. I spent Thanksgiving at my mom’s cousin’s house with 50+ of my crazy family members and have never laughed so hard or ate so much good food in my life. I went Black Friday shopping from midnight-7:30am and my sleep schedule has been off ever since. I got to see my brother back in coaching action and spent more time with my grandparents. And in the morning I head back to New Orleans for my last 2 weeks on the job for the semester. Wait, what?! That’s pretty hard to believe. But the best part? We can now listen to Christmas music!
Beignets and Travel DaysWednesday, November 23, 2011“I don’t know no town like the old town. Even when the miles are many, I feel like I’m still around. Deep inside me like rings through an oak tree, yeah, there’s something about a Sunday when I’m gone…that keeps me turning home.” – David Nail I’m home! Even though it’s 40 degrees and rainy (a far cry from 80 degrees and muggy in New Orleans on Monday!), I’m still convinced that there is no better place to be than the Midwest in the fall. There is so much to be thankful for this holiday season, and right now I’m most thankful for the week I get to spend at home with my family. It’s always frustrating that I can never get a direct flight from New Orleans to Indianapolis, but my layover in Atlanta turned out to be a good one! Once we landed I saw that I had a missed call from phimucc Julie, so I called her immediately while I was still on the plane. I was expecting “Hello?” or “Hey Megan” but instead I got “OMG PLEASE TELL ME YOU’RE IN ATLANTA RIGHT NOW?!” Good thing I was in row 12 because I ran off that plane and continued to run to gate D22 to be reunited with my sister friend! We only got to catch up for about 20 minutes before she had to board her flight home, but it’s always great seeing a familiar face out on the road! Once I landed in Indianapolis, my mom picked me up and I headed straight to dinner with my mom, aunt, and cousins at my favorite restaurant. The 5 of us always have so much fun together and that dinner was full of good food, good laughs, and good company. I couldn’t have asked for a better welcome home. This past weekend was a busy one! One of the chapter members, Emily, and I headed into the French Quarter on Saturday afternoon to hang out and get away from campus for a little bit. I had been a few times before but always forgot my camera…typical. This time, I was the ultimate tourist, so a big thank you goes out to Emily for putting up with me! The French Quarter essentials: Café Du Monde complete with beignets and café au lait, Jackson Square, the St. Louis Cathedral, shopping, muffulettas, the French Market, and much more!  drove right by the Superdome on our way! don't worry, I'm still a Colts fan.   I'll be attempting to make beignets for my family this holiday season so they can understand just how great they are!   Jackson Square and the beautiful streets of Nola!  the St. Louis Cathedral is gorgeous! we even saw a bride a groom getting married there!  "Touchdown Jesus" and the back of the Cathedral - the story goes that as Hurricane Katrina was headed straight towards the French Quarter, Touchdown Jesus redirected Katrina toward Mississippi and in the process he lost one of the fingers on his left hand.   "this muffuletta is bigger than my head!" - Emily Sunday night the chapter held elections, and I’m very excited for the new Executive Committee! I have to give a huge shout out to the current Executive Committee. It’s been great getting to work with you all this semester and I'm proud of all that you’ve accomplished. I’ll miss our weekly meetings, airports rides, and all of the laughs. Thanks for a great semester!  super sorority squat: Melanie (Chapter Adviser) front row: Lindsey, Mary, Bri, Alex, Amy back row: Emily, Caroline, Michelle, Tori, Lauren, Chelsea Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!!
Stop and Smell the... Coffee?Sunday, November 20, 2011“Stressed out, running late, racing down the interstate, spilled hot coffee down the front of my jeans. It’s work, work, pay the rent, money and my time’s spent, not a minute left for me to be me. Been going like nothing can wait, I gotta get my priorities straight…” – Kenny Chesney First off, did you hear the news that Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw will be touring together this summer?! Sad news: they won't be playing in my hometown as part of the Country MegaTicket. Good news: they'll be playing in Indianapolis! Secondly, two blog posts in two days?! This has to be a record. After a few weeks of what felt like nonstop work, I headed over to Starbucks for a little getaway this morning. I got to call some of my friends and caught up with all of my family. As I was sitting there enjoying my grande skinny vanilla latte, I started people watching. Side note: people watching is my favorite thing to do at concerts and airports. Creeper? Maybe. Anyways, as people kept trickling in, there was one constant. Every. Single. Person. Was glued to their phone. No conversation between anyone. Now remember. You’re talking to a girl who facilitates conversation workshops as part of her job; a girl who has been trained to hold a 20 minute conversation with a complete stranger; a girl who has to make friends with collegians within 5 minutes of them picking me up at the airport for it to be a successful visit. And, don’t get me wrong, I love my iPhone. I probably wouldn’t survive without it. But seriously, people. This is just crazy to me. You really can't just stand in line without being glued to your phone?! Two people even ran into each other because they were so focused on their phones. Really?! Stop and smell the roses! Get those priorities straightened out and enjoy this life that we are so lucky to have. I really don’t know how some people survived before we had everything at our fingertips! Maybe it’s because I hopped on the technology train much later than everyone else since I didn’t have a phone with a media plan until 2 days before I left for this job. Maybe it’s because I live out of 2 suitcases and literally travel with only the essentials. Maybe it’s because one of the life lessons I’ve learned so far with this job is that less really is more. Maybe it’s because I’ve learned to appreciate things that a lot of people take for granted because I don’t have those luxuries out on the road. So, put that phone down and take a minute to enjoy the little things in life. Remember what it was like a few short years ago when you actually had to TALK to someone to communicate with them! And while you’re at it, talk to a stranger while waiting in line at Starbucks! “You’re only here for a short visit. Don’t hurry. Don’t worry. And be sure to smell the flowers along the way.” – Walter Hagen
A Little Bit of EverythingSaturday, November 19, 2011
“Little miss do your best, little miss never rest, little miss be my guest I’ll make more anytime it runs out. Little miss you’ll go far, little miss hide your scars, little miss who you are is so much more than you like to talk about.” - Sugarland
I heard “Little Miss” today while I was running and I just love that song because 1) I love Sugarland and 2) it reminds me of my phimuccs. Miss them all so much. And speaking of, happy Installation Day to our newest chapter, Rho Iota, at the University of Kentucky tomorrow! Congrats Lauren and Jillian and everyone else who will be attending! J And, to everyone who has been bugging me to update my blog, I’m sorry! I told you it would be the busiest 2 weeks of my consultant life! Since last time… The chapter had Semi-Formal at a really cool venue called the Eiffel Society. Part of the structure of the building is from the actual Eiffel Tower in Paris! When they were rebuilding the actual Eiffel Tower, they shipped part of it to New Orleans and now it’s part of this venue! Kendra, the Colony Membership Coordinator, and Christa, the Colony Coordinator, visited the chapter to facilitate recruitment workshops this past week. The chapter responded well and we got so much accomplished. It was a busy week, but it was so productive and we had just a little bit of fun, too J I got my schedule for next semester! Well, kind of. I’ll be a full-time traveler with frequent stops at Western Carolina and Elmhurst. I’ll still be in New Orleans through most of January to help with recruitment, but after that I’ll be back to living out of my suitcases and I couldn’t be more excited! But, I’m sure there will still be tears when I leave this chapter, since I’m the most emotional person in the world. My family finalized our plans for going to Florida while I’m home for Christmas Break! As Kenny Chesney says, “All I want for Christmas is a real good tan.” I’m preparing for 2 firsts in my life, thanks to phimucc Hanna. 1) Black Friday shopping. Turns out there’s an outlet mall about halfway between where Hanna and I live, so at 11pm on Thanksgiving night, I’ll be reunited with one of my consultant friends. Cannot wait! 2) Nashville! Dave Barnes is doing a Christmas show in Nashville in December and I’ll be joining Hanna and her friends for this show. Don’t worry, I didn’t invite myself J Really excited for this little road trip. Tomorrow a few chapter members and I are taking the day to hang out in the French Quarter! Sunday night we have Elections, and Monday I go HOOOOOOOOME! Very thankful for family, friends, my own bed, home cooked meals, shopping, phimuccs, and a short break before finishing my travels for the semester! SERIOUSLY, where has the time gone?!
This is Why I Love This JobTuesday, November 8, 2011“You know you are on the road to success if you would do your job…and not be paid for it.” – Oprah I got a call this morning from a chapter member wanting to make some serious positive changes in her chapter and she asked for some advice and help. She saw a problem, had the courage to address the problem, talked with the appropriate people, and is now developing a solution to the problem. I can tell you right now, it won’t be a popular decision to propose these changes, but it will help the chapter so much in the long run. One year ago, she never would have done that. Leadership development, people. So proud. This is why I love this job and want to be involved with leadership development for the rest of my life. In other news, we are getting closer and closer to recruitment here at Tulane! We are busy with meetings and upcoming workshops to get prepared for recruitment season. January will be here before we know it…both scary and very exciting! This past weekend the chapter did a little community service and helped with a KaBOOM playground build in New Orleans. We had so much fun. Unfortunately, we couldn’t stay to see the finished product, but it was great to get out and do some good for the community and to live that first line of our Creed!
 my back is still hurting from this  in front of the almost finished playground! So You Want To Be a Good Leader, Huh?Friday, November 4, 2011
“If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more, and become more…you are a leader.” – John Quincy Adams
I was so lucky to get to go home straight from training last week. I spent 4 full days at home with nothing too exciting going on. Don’t get me wrong though, it was a perfect break and just what I needed…can’t wait to be home again in less than 3 weeks! One of the best parts of being home was being able to go to my church! The message was great and the timing was perfect. The message started with the question, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Great, I thought. It’s not like I don’t get asked that on every visit and answer the same way. “Well… I’m still trying to figure that out.” But Dave wasn’t talking about specifics here – he was talking about leadership and the kind of leader that we want to be and the influence we want to have in this world. We headed right back into the book of James to look for some answers. I won’t spoil the message but it comes down to this. Good leaders are humble, full of moral integrity, peaceable, considerate, teachable, merciful, impartial, and sincere. The foundation though, is humility. Check out the message below if you get some free time. If you're anything like me, James 3:13-18 and 4:1-10 will be full of notes, highlights, and markings. Enjoy J
4 Non-Negotiable DemandsSunday, October 30, 2011“Success is a peace of mind which is a direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you made the effort to become the best that you are capable of becoming.” – John Wooden If I could put every John Wooden quote on this blog, I would. The legendary UCLA basketball coach has so much incredible wisdom, both in the realms of sports and life. Maybe his “Pyramid of Success” can be a future blog post… Last night my brother and the DePauw University Fighting Tigers traveled to the University of Evansville for a pre-season exhibition game. There’s nothing better than basketball in Indiana, so to say that I’m excited for basketball season to be upon us would be an understatement. I came across a great article that my brother had been interviewed in and mentioned the following: 4 NON-NEGOTIABLE DEMANDS 1) Be a great teammate 2) Give a great effort 3) Be coachable 4) Hold yourself and others accountable These words of wisdom got me thinking. And because I’m a true believer that sports not only teach us valuable lessons on the court but more importantly teach us crucial lessons about LIFE, I related these 4 non-negotiable demands to my job/life right now. Here’s my take on these 4 non-negotiable demands from a consultant and leadership development point of view: NON-NEGOTIABLE Let’s start with “non-negotiable.” You do these things because you are expected to do them. There is no discussion here; it’s understood that when you join the team or sorority, these are your expectations. As Tony Dungy said in his book Quiet Strength, “No excuses. No explanations.” BE A GREAT TEAMMATE When you join a sorority, you become a part of something much bigger than yourself, and this is something I think a lot of chapter members across the country struggle with. I’ll admit, sometimes it is hard to see the big picture. But, that’s no excuse. Not only are you expected to be a team player for your own chapter but also for the national organization. That means abiding by all policies and procedures and putting aside your personal beliefs and goals for the good of the overall chapter and national organization if the two do not line up. We are all in this together. Think about how great we could be if everyone made a promise to do anything for this “team.” Be a great sister and continue to move the sorority forward. As my volleyball coach used to say, “It’s amazing how much gets accomplished when no one cares who gets the credit. Play for the team, not for yourself.” GIVE A GREAT EFFORT Really, that’s all I ask. If you are trying to follow policies and procedures and if you are trying to do the right thing for your chapter, I already have so much respect for you. It’s when you know there’s something wrong and you choose to do nothing about it that we start to have a problem. Be brave. Try. Make an effort. If you’re going to fail, make sure that it’s not because of a lack of effort. You’ll look back in 10 years and wish that you would’ve done something. There’s absolutely no excuse for a lack of effort. Another great quote from my brother, “If not now, when?” No excuses. Stop procrastinating and give a great effort no matter what and do what needs to be done. BE COACHABLE I think we can all agree that in sports, the coach does his/her job because he/she wants you to succeed no matter what. Every little thing the coach does is because he/she is trying to set the team up to succeed. When you’re running all of those timed suicides in practice and the coach is screaming at you because you can’t do anything right, it’s hard to see the reasoning. But, at the end of the day, you know why the coach does what he/she does. In sorority world, it’s no different. I can only speak for myself, but especially as a consultant, know that we are here to help! We are sort of like a coach, and we want nothing more than to help each and every chapter succeed. We are not there to tattle or to get you in trouble. Talk with us, be honest with us, and give us a chance to help you. Be coachable and remember that we have your best interest in mind at all times. We want to give you the best opportunity to succeed, but we can only do that if you are open and willing to listen to our suggestions and work with us to develop solutions to any problems! HOLD YOURSELF AND OTHERS ACCOUNTABLE Do what you say you will do, when you say you will do it. Make sure that you are completely committed to your position and that you will do whatever it takes to fulfill your responsibilities. Don’t be afraid of confrontation and holding other people accountable! The team is only as strong as the weakest player, so if someone is falling behind, help them and pick them up! Don’t just let it slide. Do something to fix the situation by holding every single person accountable. As our Creed says, believe that our given word is binding! Alright, off my soap box now. The college student-athlete in me comes out every now and then. J
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