Lesson to learn

Some may disagree, but I think that the fact that I have been here since spring '05 makes me wise when it comes to living with your pledge sisters and at the same time reaching out to others. Pledge semester and JA semester it is pounded into our heads to be unified as a class, and thats important b/c everyone needs to lean on each other while adjusting to the craziness of adchi, but we can't forget that we are not just groups of pledge classes, we are a united sorority with shared beliefs and goals. I always challenge people to get out of their comfort zone and get to know older and younger girls b/c they may end-up being life long friends. It is a growing process and if you are shy then it is going to be hard at times, but 8 semesters in (7 active) I can tell you that, while my pledge sis and I have a bond that can never be broken, there are many girls that aren't in my class, some 3 years younger than me, that I have been blessed me with their presence in my life. So here's the bottom line... It is important for us to maintain good relationships with our pledge sisters, but maybe just as important create bonds with people you never thought would happen, because in the end that is what will make this place so special.

Sometimes I forget...

"Hey Mom and Dad"
"Hey Mom. Is Dad there?"
"Hey Dad. When is Mom getting home."
"Hey Mom. What are you getting Dad for your 31st anniversery?"

and so on....

I just forget sometimes that there are a lot of people out there my age that have divorced parents. I know some of them say it is much better that way, but I just guess I could never imagine it happening to my mom and dad. And almost all the girls I live with have parents that are still married so there's just that status quo in my bubble. And me being me sometimes I start gabbing about what they refer to my family as "the cleavers" and I hear, "Oh, my parents are divorced" (foot in mouth).

On to SLO-
There are muscles in my body that I didn't know I had and/or could be sore. I played almost the entire time, 3 games, and out of those games I pretty much played outside O-line blocker, AKA- Caspie's body guard. I have to say most of the time we were the "great wall of Delta" and ppl had a hard to getting past us. There's that stereo-type that the best position is QB or receiver, but I had more fun doing my job. Coo does to Couture for being the straight out bossy receiver, Caspie for getting the job done as QB and out back field defenders for straight out Delta domination. That all said, we came in 2nd, but it doesn't matter b/c I had too much fun to let a few cocky opponents ruin it.

Missing...

Retreat...
Pretty great. I really needed a few days to just "chill", at least before returning to the reality of a 10-12 pg paper due thursday. The ride up: Madgas, Dizzle, Tswana, Sunbright, and me= FANTABULOUS!! Dizzle, Tswana, and I got in a short tickle war which allowed them to see how I react to being tickled...very dangerous, limbs everywhere. when it was pitch black and the going got tough Madgas' Tom Tom came through...God bless the makers of GPS devices all over the world. The cabin was awesome. a lil chilly on friday, but that's where the camping mummy bag worked nicely. Got to share a room with the amazing sigmas and fell asleep giggling to their shinanagins. Saturday was great. Lots of devo time and a short stack at The Loose Cabose with the AP was great. Entertainment practice rolled around and I have to say I was a lil bummed b/c I was alone and didn't have anything planned. Luckily the Chi Class welcomed me with open-arms to join their act... what a great group of young girls (they made me realize how old I am). Oh and a shout out to Tswana's "costume" :p. that was all followed by the Delta retreat tradition of "the fruit game", in which I got "pillow whipped" many times. That game is an all-time favorite b/c I love seeing girls freak out, but it wasn't truly the same without the original peach and lime couple (aka- mings and tropi). Time to wind down and settle in for the night I offered up sharing my 'smaller than a full bigger than a twin' bunk b/c it was so cold the night before and I know from experience that more bodies= more warmth. So after Tswana and I tuck ourselves in I remembered that they turned the heat up a lil, and remember more bodies= more warmth. so there was more time spent trying to find a comfortable position, where I wasn't too hot and/or invading too much of my bunk mates space. hahaha. But thats ok, b/c I was able to make fun of her for softly (ok more than softly) snoring. The drive home was pleasant- tom tom lead the way, there was no traffic and many of us drifted in and out of consciousness. Overall, retreat was great, and I feel like I have come back closer to people than before....

Have you ever met, or been friends with someone who, while completely different, does things that remind you of a significant person from your past? I mean, no where close. darker hair, completely opposite personality, darker skin color, etc, but than I'll see a certain facial expression or hear a voice inflection and it sends me flying back 5 years. It's not a bad memories type thing, b/c we had a 'falling away' instead of a 'falling out'. different schools meant different majors, friends, and new activities which just shifted our time and priorities. Whenever I see those minascule similarities I start to wonder what they are doing. on the east coast now, with a career, and different friends, while I'm still here. not that I'm unhappy, it's just weird thinking about the fact that we were the closest friends could be without actually being blood related and now the only thing I really have is creeping their facebook now and then. I guess that's what college turns out to be a lot of times. New friends, from the age 19-23...growing together and sharing countless memories. Simply put, you could say my "bridal party" has shifted since 2004 and I think that's both awesome and sad in the same breath.