From July 13th to July 16th, 2012 I attended the Alpha Chi Omega National Convention in St. Louis, MO
This is My Convention.
Day 2
Day two started off with a bang... in ALL WHITE! CHAPTER MEETING! HUNDREDS OF SISTERS! I had peeked in the chapter meeting room the day before, but it was way better with all my sisters! The sorority geek in me was over-the moon happy!
I had seen the chapter flags in pictures from past conventions, but it really was amazing seeing it all in person. It's our history. It feels very tangible when it's all laid out before you.
And of course I had to take a picture of my collegiate chapter, Gamma Pi at the University of Tampa.
And then my "adoptive chapter", Alpha Psi at UCLA. (I know "adoptive chapter" isn't an official sorority term, but I've invested so much time, hard work, and love into the Alpha Psi chapter that I've taken ownership of it as my "adoptive chapter". Or it's sort of taken ownership of me, but however you put it... I will always be Gamma Pi, but my heart has room for Alpha Psi too.)
The National Chapter Meeting started (no cameras at this point!) I tried to keep the convention pages busy by passing many notes - I was prepared with a large stack of index cards. And though there are 2 days of the National Chapter Meeting, it was really only one meeting with a large break in the middle. So we only did one opening ritual and closing ritual for the whole convention. After the meeting was over I took some pictures with some sisters...
My Gamma Pi collegiate sister Nicole...
...and Brooke, Alpha Psi's delegate and a super collegian at UCLA!
And lastly, I got a "stalker-ratzzi" shot of some National Council ladies. (It goes without saying, that they're mini-celebrities at the convention... aka, "they're sort of a big deal!")
After the morning meeting, was the "For Now/Forever" Foundation Luncheon. I was really excited to see the full official campaign reveal after seeing the printed materials at one of our last Gamma Theta Gamma meetings. Again, the centerpieces were very cute!
We had lunch and watched a video for the new "For Now/Forever" campaign. I loved the video and the campaign. We also saw it in the printed campaign materials, but I love seeing young girls talk about the future and their (hopeful) future in Alpha Chi Omega. And the future is why I love this campaign. All our hard work in Alpha Chi is about the future - our future sisters, our future leaders.
The favor for the luncheon was a 5G jump drive that was loaded with the "For Now/Forever" campaign video! I was so excited for the campaign I ran off and posted it on my blog (yes, this blog!) as soon as I could.
After the meeting was over we had a break before we went into the educational sessions. The first of the convention separated us into decades to talk about how to involve ritual into our daily lives. I liked being split up into decades because we are at very different places in our lives than ladies a decade older or younger, and though there wasn't lots of time to get into discussions, sisters seemed to open up a little more than we would have in mixed age groups.
In the afternoon we took the official convention photo. Though I haven't seen it yet, It'll probably look great. Hundreds of Alpha Chi's with the Gateway Arch right in the background. Of course we took pictures too!
Next on the agenda was the "Smile with your sisters" Reunion Night dinner where we sit with our chapters/schools. Again, the centerpieces were very cute (using the arch again) and they had accordion folded circles of sheet music with our table number on one side and chapter name on the other.
More speeches, more awards! I was SUPER pleased to see Alpha Psi win a national award for Member Education.
Brooke got to go up on stage and accept for the chapter! Go UCLA!
I was happy to be home with my Gamma Pi's! I sat with Viancca, Nicole, and two collegians representing Gamma Pi. Dinner was very nice and we ended it with big-ole "Highty-Tighty"!!! It was one of my favorite moments of the convention. Go UT!
After dinner I promptly went shopping at the vendor booths and picked up what I came for... more letter shirts! The only letter shirt I have left from college is from one of my little sisters, Franny, and is blue with cows on the raised letters and the words "big moo" on the back - she was "little moo"! Franny loves cows, so the shirt was perfect. Letter shirts have changed SO much from 1999 to 2012, so it was time to get one from this decade that was soft and fresh. I'll always keep my "big moo" shirt though!
It was the end of day two. I was now completely exhausted, but still having a blast.
After the meeting was over we had a break before we went into the educational sessions. The first of the convention separated us into decades to talk about how to involve ritual into our daily lives. I liked being split up into decades because we are at very different places in our lives than ladies a decade older or younger, and though there wasn't lots of time to get into discussions, sisters seemed to open up a little more than we would have in mixed age groups.
And look who ran the session! My collegiate sister Viancca!
In the afternoon we took the official convention photo. Though I haven't seen it yet, It'll probably look great. Hundreds of Alpha Chi's with the Gateway Arch right in the background. Of course we took pictures too!
Next on the agenda was the "Smile with your sisters" Reunion Night dinner where we sit with our chapters/schools. Again, the centerpieces were very cute (using the arch again) and they had accordion folded circles of sheet music with our table number on one side and chapter name on the other.
More speeches, more awards! I was SUPER pleased to see Alpha Psi win a national award for Member Education.
Brooke got to go up on stage and accept for the chapter! Go UCLA!
I was happy to be home with my Gamma Pi's! I sat with Viancca, Nicole, and two collegians representing Gamma Pi. Dinner was very nice and we ended it with big-ole "Highty-Tighty"!!! It was one of my favorite moments of the convention. Go UT!
After dinner I promptly went shopping at the vendor booths and picked up what I came for... more letter shirts! The only letter shirt I have left from college is from one of my little sisters, Franny, and is blue with cows on the raised letters and the words "big moo" on the back - she was "little moo"! Franny loves cows, so the shirt was perfect. Letter shirts have changed SO much from 1999 to 2012, so it was time to get one from this decade that was soft and fresh. I'll always keep my "big moo" shirt though!
It was the end of day two. I was now completely exhausted, but still having a blast.
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