University of Miami Ohio

I wasn't in Oxford long... only a few short days, but it snowed while I was there!!! It only snowed about 2 to 3 inches, but that is a big deal for an Alabama native like me. Luckily I had just purchased a winter coat to help me brave the cold up in Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Virginia during the winter season.

Oxford was the same as my 3 week stay back in the summer. I ate at the same restaurants, ran down the same streets, and still had a great time with the Alpha Chapter! 45 East is still the best restaurant and I can't get enough. In three days we ate there twice! Yum!

After leaving I was excited to return home for my month long break that will include a little rest and relaxation... and AUBURN FOOTBALL SEC CHAMPIONSHIP! Yes, we are the champions! Too bad Arizona won't be in my spring schedule like it is for the Tigers!

Ashland University

Visiting Ashland University was interesting to say the least. Not only was the school small, quaint, and pretty much slow paced.... it was on the edge of Amish Country. If you've never been up to Amish Country you are missing out! Horse-and-Buggies are just a normal thing and bring a whole new meaning to the "slow lane" when driving down the highway. Of coarse I screamed when I saw my first one just trotting down the 4 lane highway as we zoomed by going the normal 60mph.


Another benefit of visiting a town close to Amish Country is a little place called "Grandpa's Cheese Barn." Its a little shop that you can go to and buy fresh meat, cheese, jams, breads, etc.; of coarse getting to sample all of it before the purchase. Sorry Grandpa for "sampling" your entire pumpkin spice roll. It was delicious. Of coarse I did not leave empty handed. A single Ohio Buckeye Candy and a jar of homemade sandwich spread made it back to Huntsville, AL with me for Thanksgiving.


Amish people and good food trumps the cold weather any day.

Tarleton State University

Home of the Dr. Pepper Factory, the "Purple Poo," and Tarleton State University; Stephenville, Texas is a quaint little town rich in tradition and hospitality. Since I was going to be visiting Texas for the third time this semester, I figured I would know it all... tarantellas, bar-b-que, and country music. Little did I know that because the great state of Texas is so huge, I would be greeted in what seemed to be a completely different world.

To be honest, I really never enjoyed Dr. Pepper... until now!! Dublin, Texas has its very own Dr. Pepper Factory. I got to tour the museum and try the original Dr. Pepper formula that uses imperial sugar. It was actually really great because it was completely different than the Dr. Pepper you and I both grow up on. From Dr. Pepper Floats to Dr. Pepper Cakes I tried it all. I even spent the next 3 weeks with a pound of Dr. Pepper Cake Mix in my purse just to bring home to make for my best friend since kindergarten, Caitlin, who has been obsessed with Dr. Pepper since we were kids. Hopefully it tastes as good as it does in Dublin.

You may be asking yourself: "What in the heck is the 'Purple Poo?'" Honestly, the "Purple Poo" is a time honored tradition at Tarleton University that is bestowed upon only the most elite students and consists of secretly dressing up in masks and doing silly, crazy things around campus. They wear their masks all the time and are never revealed until graduation. These men and women are hand selected by previous "Poo Members" and this is the highest honor one can receive at Tarleton. I personally was intrigued by these masked students. Not only do the look and act completely ridiculous, but they are supported by students and administrators alike. I obviously had to take a picture with these honorable people. But I still left confused: Why hasn't any of the students pulled off the "Purple Poo's" masks? I know I thought about it a couple times.

Three trips to Texas down.... and zero to go. I'm sad I won't be getting to visit Texas again in the Spring but I've made a lot of great friends and memories in this state. So bye Texas and thanks for a great time!!

New Mexico State University

I was greeted in New Mexico by breathtaking mountains and a beautiful dessert. The 45 minute drive from the airport to Las Cruces, NM was overwhelming. There was so much to see. I10 which runs all the way from California to Florida was where I found myself when I got to see the Mexico Boarder for the first time. I was a little stunned and got this strange pit in my stomach upon seeing the border and the image behind it. Shacks, run down homes, and dirt streets to my left, and skyscrapers to my right. It was crazy how a 20 foot guarded fence could create such a different scene. The view of Juarez, Mexico the most dangerous city in the world was many things. I felt sad, happy, scared, selfish, and insignificant all at the same time. It did make me proud to be an American, but it was so sad to see the poverty just inches from the land of the free. It was one sight I soon won't forget.

Similar to the drive, New Mexico was mesmerizing. The culture and food were two of my most favorite things about this trip. My stomach may beg to differ. The one thing you must eat if you ever find yourself in New Mexico is green chili. It is the signature ingredient in all dishes including pasta, burritos, and even ice cream. YES, ice cream. Not my favorite topping but I do commend them for being creative. As long as I never have to eat green chili in ice cream again, I'd go back to New Mexico. Next time, hopefully I see some aliens!!

Texas A&M

What an eventful trip! I had a great time visiting a big south western school with great traditions and pride of their own. From Midnight Yell to game day dresses, the students in College Station, Texas know how to get ready for a football game.

After talking football with some Texans, we switched to politics. Usually I try to stay away from hot topics like that but when George Bush Sr., his wife, and Laura Bush show up to town obviously people are going to talk about it. Yes, although I was in the same town as a former president, I did not get to meet him or even get close enough to take a picture. Right before his arrival some students decided to have a protest again the legalization of carrying guns on campus by having fake AK-47 on campus. After the school went on lock down for about 5 hours, let's just say that the president wasn't too thrilled about making a public appearance. Either way, neat story to say I was in the same city as George Bush Sr.

All in all my second trip to Texas was just as exciting and eventful as my first. Texas A&M has a huge campus and over 50,000 students. It was very neat just to look around and take in the size of the campus; very different from majority of the schools I've visited. College Station was a neat place but it would take more than just 6 days to explore and see everything there is to see!

Auburn University!!

The Loveliest Village on the Plains. This is the best school in the country and I am proud that it is my Alma Mater.

I got to watch a big Auburn win over long time rival LSU. After this win, Auburn was ranked #1 in the BCS for the first time in school history. What an exciting time for the tigers.

Also after the game I walked down to Toomer's Corner to witness the best school tradition of all time. Even though it was warmer than ever, the trees and ground were covered in white from toilet paper. Both old and young alike enjoy this tradition and have the best time rolling the big tree at the corner of Magnolia Avenue and College Street.



WAR EAGLE!!!

Barton College

Scariest school yet: Barton College. Wilson, North Carolina is one of the most haunted areas in the country and not to mention in full preparation for Halloween. Here are some spooky events that happened during my visit:

1. Haunted hay ride through a corn field. This is where I came face to face with some of my worst fears like Jason, Pin Head, and that scary guy from Texas Chainsaw Massacre.


2. Legit haunted dorms. One of the rooms that I stayed near had a girl live there that would lock her door every night but a news paper would appear on her bedroom floor every morning... remind you the door was still locked. Yikes.


3. Random opening doors. I would walk into a room, talk with a few people and walk out and all the doors in the hall would be wide open. FACT this happened multiple times. (After the excitement it turns out it was someone tricking us all along, but still scary and made a few people cry.)

Besides the fact that I was pretty much fearful for my life because of ghosts... I had a fantastic time in Wilson. I got to attend multiple Barton College sporting events including volleyball, soccer, and softball. The weather was cool and fall was in full force majority of the time with leaves falling everywhere. I loved getting up in the morning to go for a run and drinking coffee on the balcony when I got back. Paranormal activity or not... Wilson, North Carolina is a fantastic place!

University of North Carolina Wilmington

Going to the beach in the middle of October... Yes please!! The University of North Carolina Wilmington is a beautiful beach side school located just off of Carolina Beach in North Carolina. This huge campus has everything from palm to pine trees giving the school a unique beachy feel with a dash of the North Carolina wilderness.

While visiting Wilmington I got to visit a lot of local hot spots. One of my favorites was Dockside Bar and Grill. This restaurant was right on the water overlooking the bay and had a dock where boats could just drive up, anchor, and come in for something to eat. I enjoyed a great meal while watching the sunset.

I also got to lay out at beautiful Carolina Beach. One day it was 88 degrees with no clouds so I took full advantage of the opportunity to work on my now non-existent tan. It was absolutely beautiful although much different than the white sand beaches I'm used to in Florida.

Finally, I got to visit Audriana's, a local restaurant that had the best lobster and crab cakes I had ever eaten. It was located right off the board walk in downtown Wilmington right near the huge battleship docked in the marina. While eating, Bibis and Black, a local band entertained the crowd during their final show in Wilmington. It was a lovely end to a wonderful trip to a beach town school.

Lenoir-Rhyne University

Lenoir-Rhyne University in quaint Hickory, North Carolina is a small school about this size of my high school. With only about 1,800 students, LR does not have too much going on but still put on a great party for homecoming!

The homecoming festivities began with a huge homecoming parade. Each organization on campus participates and competes to win the best float competition. I am pleased to say that the Delta Zeta's took home 1st place for the 4th year in a row with their "Jimi Hendrix" themed float.

The party continues with a huge barbecue in the parking lot outside of the stadium. With everything from sandwiches to banana pudding, the Lenoir-Rhyne alum come out in full force to support the Bears.

The night ends with a huge firework display at the stadium. I was very impressed with the turn out of fans and had a great time socializing with people from all over, including a family from Huntsville! Even though the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears didn't win that day, the Auburn Tigers did later that night against Kentucky. Thank goodness and War Eagle.

HUNTSVILLE!!!

So I got to go home for about 6 days and it was fantastic. Kevin came up from Auburn to visit and we all just relaxed, watched football, and of coarse went to Rosie's!! Even though I get to travel all over to new and exciting places, home is still where the heart is!

University of Rhode Island

Wow! Rhode Island is beautiful. The water, the trees, the beaches, its all wonderful. Before getting to URI I was a little intimidated thinking that everyone there would be straight out of New York City and own a summer home in the Hampton's; that was only true for half the people I met while visiting. The luxurious life style that some of these people are living is right out of the movies, but it isn't as common as one would think.

Either way the girls living in the sorority house at URI are not hurting in any way. Their personal chef makes grill to order meals from 7am to 1pm and then a buffet dinner at 6pm. I personally enjoyed the egg white omelet and pita pizza a few times...not to mention some of the best lobster cakes, clam pasta, and sushi ever. Yes, I've decided I was made to live a life of luxury in Rhode Island.

While there I also got to visit Newport. A quaint little ocean town with sail boats, bicycles, and oh yeah huge mansions. Try having the Vanderbilt's and Rockefeller's as your neighbors! Everything there was beautiful from the water to the cobblestone streets. Brittany, the girl who was kind enough to be my tour guide, took me to lunch at one of the nicest cafes in town and showed me all the neat shops and piers around Newport. I had the best time. In a couple of years you can send all mail to my new home's address....

Ferris State University

Big Rapids, Michigan home of Ferris State University has recently been experiencing a cold front. While visiting this lovely school in the northern part of the state, I was shocked at the 50 degree weather and icy wind chill. I was not expecting to have to sleep in a sweatshirt or a borrowed pair of sweatpants, but it worked out and I made it out alive.

While at Ferris State I got to work with a small chapter that had just finished with recruitment. They had some great new members but still had room for growth. After doing a presentation on being a "dynamic conversationalist" we kicked off a big campaign to expand even further and get ten additional new members. I'm looking forward to hearing about their success in the upcoming week.

Additionally, I had my first experience at a Bob Evan's Restaurant. For those of you, like me, who have never heard of this fine establishment before, think Waffle House meets Cracker Barrel. What an experience. After enjoying blue berry pancakes, we went to pay at the register and the cashier, Jan, motioned for us to hold on as she checked out the mailman who had just walked into the restaurant. She stood there for a moment and as he left she said, "That just made my day, what a great piece of eye candy." Instantly I thought to myself.... No Jan, you just made my day!

West Texas A&M University

Canyon, Texas.... what can I say it's beautiful. Since I had never been to Texas I really did not know what to expect while visiting West Texas A&M University. I assumed people there would be a lot like me: saying y'all was just a normal thing, flip flops could be worn all year around, and coke was the soft drink of choice. All of those things were true, but what I was not expecting was how amazingly gorgeous the landscape would be. From the flat farmlands to the wondrous canyons, Texas was amazing and can only be described through pictures. Palo Duro Canyon

It was truly amazing to see the Palo Duro Canyon. I was lucky to have 3 amazing tour guides to take me through the canyon so I could take pictures. It was a part of my traveling adventure that I will never forget!

What was really interesting about Texas was how people there say "Everything is Bigger in Texas!" This is so true. From meal portions to their spiders Texas does things bigger and better than ever. Upon seeing my first Tarantella I wanted to scream, run, and throw up all at the same time. It was crazy and needless to say I had a hard time walking outside in the dark after being so close to "dying!" And yes I did scream and freak out like I was dying when I saw this....

Bowling Green State University

News Flash!!! Ohio has the most amazing weather! The entire week I visited BGSU it was gorgeous. On a typical day the high was 75 degrees. Needless to say I got in some quality running time every morning.

BGSU is currently celebrating its 100th Anniversary. Founded in 1910 as a land grant college, it currently has around 18,000 students and is predominately a commuter school. It has a beautiful and spacious campus with many walking trails and bike paths perfect for running.

While in Bowling Green I celebrated my 23rd birthday. I had the absolute best time celebrating with these women. Not only did they make me birthday signs, but they took me to eat Mexican as well. I even got to wear a sombrero!

Although it was one of my more challenging visits, I had a wonderful time and can't wait to visit two more schools in this wonderful state!

Purdue

In another life I definitely went to Purdue! I'm pretty sure if I had the chance I would go to school here and love every minute of it. Surprisingly, West Lafayette, Indiana is a lot like Auburn. Here are some unique similarities:

• Best Schools: Pharmacy, Vet, Interior Design, Engineering, and Aviation



• Small Town: Without Purdue, West Lafayette has nothing.



• Pedestrians: Get hit by cars because they think they ALWAYS have the right of way.



• Call Outs: Nope, Auburn isn't the only school with that tradition.



• Athletics: Although football may not be the biggest sport going at Purdue, they all have their athletic gear on.



• Battle Cry: BOILER UP!!!

All the similarities made me feel right at home. I loved being at Purdue and enjoyed the small town feel with a big school atmosphere. On the other hand though, Purdue had some really neat traditions of their own, which I got to experience first hand.

One of which being DEN POPS!! It is hard to explain, but a Den Pop is simply a "suicide" of coke products that you can make yourself. They had different kinds that you could try my favorite being "The Sorostitute." This consisted of Diet Coke, Cherry Coke, and Cream Soda. Sounds different but its amazing, I had one almost every day.

Another neat thing about Purdue was that they had their very own diner that was visited by Guy Fieri on Food Network's: Diners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. Triple X is a small diner that serves a little bit of everything but is known for their "Peanut Butter Hamburger." I wasn't too sure about that so I stuck with a breakfast omelet. Either way, it was neat to see a Purdue local hot spot with a unique touch.

My visit here was extremely enjoyable and unique. I had the best time and even purchased my very own Purdue sweatshirt. I will never forget my visit here and hope to come back in the future. Boiler Up and War Eagle!!

USC Upstate

USC Upstate, in Spartanburg, SC was a small, quiet campus located in the middle of nowhere. This school had a student body of only about 4,000 people and an even smaller Greek Life.

During my visit to Upstate, I got to work with a group of 19 women to prepare for formal recruitment. They were all very sincere and genuinely excited to meet me, so although I was worried, I had the best time.

The funniest thing happened during my visit to Upstate. One night after recruitment, a group of us went to a Waffle House for a late night snack. The manager ended up knowing some of the girls in the group and took pictures of us eating at the restaurant. After we were done, we all got a 25% discount and a high-five. So, if you are ever in Spartanburg, SC, look for my picture in the local Waffle House!

Florida State University

My next stop on my traveling adventure was to Florida State University in Tallahassee, FL! Here, I had a unique experience to say the least!

One of my favorite parts of this trip was when I visited a local Cuban Dinner called GORDO'S! I had the best Cuban Sandwich I have ever eaten, plus got to take a picture of the sign. For those of you who don't know... I call my little sister Jordan "Little Gordo," so this was really special.

I also got to visit the Florida State University Football Stadium. It was HUGE on the outside, covered completely in brick, but surprisingly smaller on the inside. I was very surprised that I was actually able to walk right into the stadium and stand on the field. The girls told me that they have a hard time filling up the stadium on game days, but hopefully with their new coach that will all change. As we were leaving we ended up running into the football team, and got to talk with them about the upcoming season. GO NOLES!

University of South Carolina

One trip down, fifteen to go! The Beta Delta Chapter at the University of South Carolina was a wonderful first visit. The women of this chapter were so welcoming and I could not have asked for a better start on an amazing journey.

First of all the chapter's house was enormous, sleeping over 30 women. I was lucky to stay in the "Peach Wing" and had a very nice roommate from Roswell, GA. They filled my room with a lot of snacks which, of coarse made me extremely excited upon arriving. I was happy to claim my spot on the top bunk and loved calling it "home" for the five days I was there.

I was also very excited to meet a girl who likes to run and exercise as much as I did. Abby was nice enough to take me running with her every morning and then on a daily trip to Starbucks. She also took me to visit the USC Student Center with an extremely nice, multimillion dollar workout facility. Let's just say they don't have anything like that at Auburn... yet!

After working on everything from conversation to skit dances during Pre-Recruitment, it was time for me to head off to my next visit. I enjoyed the USC Chapter so much an intend on keeping in touch with them as much as possible!

Yay for Kevin!

I just have to congratulate my wonderful boyfriend, Kevin for completing his final pilot's license in order to graduate from Auburn's flight program. I'm so proud and wish I could be in Auburn with him to celebrate!

Wolf Pack!

Well 1 week of training down and 2 more to go!

The girls and I have been having so much fun together during training. We have dubbed ourselves "THE WOLF PACK" mainly because of the movie The Hangover but also because we all instantly became great friends.

So far in our first week of training we've....

• Been to Indianapolis for a conference, which is absolutely beautiful by the way!
• Trained in Oxford, OH at National Headquarters
• Been to a lovely little dance club called "Brickstreet" in tshirts and tennis shoes, which instantly made us the most popular people there.
• Nicknamed each other. Mine is "JEFF" because I told them that is what my name would have been if I was a boy. Thank god I wasn't... Mom and Dad what were you thinking.

Overall its been such an amazing time thus far. I definitely miss my friends and family back home but am so thankful to have their support while I'm out and about!

The Beginning

Tucson was amazing! I had the absolute best time. Yes it was busy, yes it was hectic, but I love, love, love my job.

First things first, my hair in Arizona is straight. No humidity, so no curls it was so cool. Wish I could say that about Alabama.

Second, the girls I'm working with are so great. It's already like we are old friends. I can't wait to spend more time with them in a few weeks during training.

Finally, I got my schedule for the next 4 months. I am going to be traveling to 9 different states and 16 different universities. From Rhode Island to New Mexico, I will be all over the country and couldn't be more excited. Looks like my suitcase will be packed with clothes for every climate!

T-Minus....

• T-minus 3 days until my last day of college! War Eagle!
• T-minus 7 days until I leave for TUCSON!!

Where did my summer go? Well... between class, running, and weddings there wasn't much time for anything else. This post is definitely bitter-sweet. The past four years at Auburn have been the most memorable and life changing years of my life. I have loved everything about my experience here on the plains and wouldn't take it back for the world. I am so blessed to have an amazing family, great friends, a wonderful boyfriend, the best memories a girl could ask for, and not to mention a JOB!!

My job is one thing that has me keeping my head held high! Although I don't want to leave the glamour of college life behind, I'm excited to get out there in the real world and start a new chapter in my life. I can't wait to meet all the other girls I will be working with for the next two years in just a few short days! The anxiety is killing me. Tucson here we come.

Kelly's Bachelorette Party!!

I'm leaving for the beach tomorrow for one of my best High School friend's Bachelorette Party. I can't wait to get down to Florida and soak up the sun. Kelly's getting married in a little over a month, so a girls trip to celebrate is a must. I can't believe that I already have a friend getting married but couldn't be more excited for her! Hopefully the oil spill in the gulf won't put a damper on the party! BEST WISHES KELLY AND THOMAS!

Last Week!!

Last week of school! YAY!! Luckily it's not my last week EVER because I'm taking one class this summer before I graduate in August. I can't believe these past 4 years have flown by so fast. Next year will be a big change but I'm definitely excited.

I also registered for Delta Zeta National Convention this past week. Hopefully I'll get back more information on who my roommate will be and my flight schedule to Arizona soon! I'm really looking forward to travelling to the Wild West for the first time. Country's coming to town!

Running Into a Slow April

Everything for the past few weeks has been really chill. After all the excitement in March from travelling to New York to accepting my job, April has been kind of boring. I haven't had any tests, papers, meetings, school work, etc, etc, so I've been laying out by the pool and training for my 10k race in May.

After working on my tan, I like to go run in the late afternoon in the neighborhood next to mine with a great lake view and rolling hills. I usually go about 3 to 3 1/2 miles everyday to unwind. I started running back in January as an "I've got to exercise somehow when I travel, why not take up running since I can do it anywhere?" type of thing. Since then I sleep so much better and have so much more energy. It gives me time alone to think about everything that is going on in my life, which has really helped with relieving stress. It wasn't until later that I decided to start training for a 10k (6.2 miles). Running has really started to grow on me, surprisingly... but I'll let you know if my mind changes after the race!

Practice Round... New York City!

So, for Spring Break I went to New York City with my Mom, Nana, Cousin, and Great Aunt. We had the absolute best time together. From the Statue of Liberty to Park Avenue we saw all of Manhattan. The only drawback was that it rained the entire time! But that didn't stop us from sight seeing and having fun in the Big Apple.

One good thing about the trip is that I got to practice travelling! I flew from Atlanta to New York all by myself... and of coarse made friends along to the way. On the flight there I sat next to two 13 year old girls who were extremely excited about going to NYC. After talking to them and their mothers for a while, I find out that not only were they huge Auburn Fans, but both of the mothers were Auburn Grads!! Small world, War Eagle!

Upon arriving in New York at LaGuardia Airport, I grab my luggage and start making my way to the taxi line. I almost get out the door when I hear: "LAUREN!!!" I turn to see Jarrod, a friend from class running my way. I was so surprised to see someone I knew... in New York. Maybe when I start my job I'll see people I know all over the country....

TUK-SON, ARIZONA

I recently found out that I will be kicking off my job in a lovely place they call Tucson, Arizona. Being from sweet, little, innocent, Alabama, I never got to venture very far from the nest, especially out west. Upon finding out I was going to Tucson, I got overly excited and told my dad as soon as I had the chance. It went something like this:

Me:"Dad I'm going to a place in Arizona for the National Convention in June."

Dad: "Where in Arizona?"

Me: "A Day Spa and Resort in Tuk-son!"

Dad: "Tuk-son??"

Me: "Yeah have you been?"

Dad: "No... spell Tuk-son for me..."

Me: "t-u-c-s-o-n."

Dad: "HAHAHAHAHA... you mean Tooo-sonnn, Arizona!"

Yes, this is my life. There are many things about me that are kind of silly, but spelling, singing song lyrics, and reading US Cities are beyond silly and down right ridiculous. For all of you who have been told this story, and laughed at me, I'm glad I could brighten your day and make you smile. Let's hope that the misfortune I had with Tucson, won't continue as I travel around the country because I have to fool people into thinking I actually know what I'm talking about.

Once in a Life Time Opportunity!!

I have started this blog to keep in touch with all of my friends and family while traveling around the country as an Educational Leadership Consultant for my national sorority. I am not an experienced writer, and I am definitely not an experienced traveller, so this blog and job all together should be an adventure.

I found out in March that I would get to spend the next two years traveling around the country to all the different Delta Zeta chapters as a travelling consultant. I am so honored and excited to have been chosen to do this once in a life time job, with only six other people. Although I really don't know what is in store for me, I can't wait to start a new chapter in my life allowing me to be something I never dreamed I would be, in dependant.

As I finish out my last semester here at Auburn University, I continue to thrive on the fact that I have a unique job that I will be starting in August. Although class and the pressures of graduating college linger in the back of my mind, I look forward to the future and the adventures that await for me as a travel girl.