Two weeks ago (wow, has it really been that long?!) I was blessed with the opportunity to be able to attend Alpha Phi Omega's 41st National Convention in Atlanta, GA from Dec 27- 30. I arrived in Atlanta around 12:40ish on December 27th and left in the late afternoon on the 1st of the new year! I had an absolute blast in Atlanta! This was my first real vacation in 4 years and it was amazing! I got to fly for the first time in 4 years and live in a hotel for a week! This was my second National Convention; I attended the Nat Con in 2004 when it was in Denver, CO. I served as one of my chapters voting delegates and had a blast. This time around I figured 'I'm alumna, I don't to sit on the legislative floor all day, I can attend workshops!' Well that was not to be, but it worked out in the end. So here is my experience at Nationals:
Sunday, December 26h: Go out and run errands w/ mom. Get my nails done, come home and start packing for my vacation. I check in online for my flight. Around 7ish I get at call from one of my alumni brethren; Katrina, she calls and tells me to check my flight as Marlene's (Our current Section Chair) flight got cancelled and can't get re-booked until Wed. We had a white Christmas this year and received about 3 inches of snow. The roads were much better on Sunday and mom and I had no problems driving. However, Atlanta was being hit by a snow storm and the airport shut down. I checked Airtran (my airline) and everything was okay. Monday morning the roads will be better, flights will resume and everything will be good.
Day 1: Monday, December 27th: Wake up at 6 AM after getting about 3 hours of sleep (was way too excited to sleep), I don't have to leave the house for the airport until about 8ish as my flight doesn't leave Lambert until 10:13 AM. I am too excited to get back to sleep, so I get up, check my flight- flight is on time, no cancellations :)- shower, and finish packing. Arrive at airport about 8:40ish after a detour to McDonald's (mom must have her Egg McMuffin...and I want a Sausage Biscuit). Check my bag, bid farewell to parents, go through security without a hitch (no body scanner just a metal detector) and head off to my departure gate. While waiting for my flight, I get a call from Marlene who asks me to represent the section as the Section Chair Designee at Nationals. I am beyond honored to be asked and readily agree. Board flight, enjoy free wi-fi on flight, arrive in Atlanta after a smooth and speedy flight (we actually arrived 10 min early). Start walking towards baggage claim, took me 3 terminals to figure out that the train in the airport actually went to BC. Haul my bag of the carousel, head towards MARTA (think Metrolink only with lots more connections), meet up some brothers :) and head off to the hotel. After checking into the hotel, I wander downstairs to register. Come off the elevator, see tons of brothers and exclaim "Brothers!"...one actually had the audacity to call me 'Sister', started walking off, but came back and pointed and said "Brother!" and went in search of registration. Register, even tho I have to change my badge so I can get on legislative floor (this doesn't happen until Tuesday morning). Venture into the Fraternity store and purchase my first souvenir: a APO teddy bear :) Encounter Jenn Churchill and go up to Region 8 Suite where we chill until the Region 8 meeting (me alternately calling & checking on my chapter (The great Sigma Alpha) to see where my brothers (Keely & Steven are). The Region meeting goes off well (Discover Jenn C is referred to as Octomom by her home chapter hehe), get to see many more brothers I have missed and meet new ones :) and after the meeting: Dinner! I am starving as I did not eat lunch (but I had breakfast which is odd as I usually don't eat breakfast). So Chad, Bill, Jenn G, Jenn Churchill, Lindsay, Travis, Larry Ent and myself (& others whose names I can't remember at the moment-sry) head over to the attached mall's food court for dinner where I discover the awesomeness that is Moe's Southwest Grill (for evidence that it is awesome, I ate there at least 4 times during my stay in ATL). This is the first of many trips to the mall; it was a long walk. So I ended up getting a lot of exercise at Nat ConKeely & Steven arrive 15 or so min before OC. Attended the Opening Ceremonies that night where Nat Con opened w/ a bang: the Atlanta drum line performed for us- they were incredible!! The Convention Staff gives us glow sticks and the convention begins! Keely & Steven are starving so I take my second trip to the food court only to discover it is closed (apparently it closed at 6PM). They go in search of food elsewhere and I head up to the Region Suite to figure out the game plan and chill. End up going to bed around midnight or so.
Sunday, December 26h: Go out and run errands w/ mom. Get my nails done, come home and start packing for my vacation. I check in online for my flight. Around 7ish I get at call from one of my alumni brethren; Katrina, she calls and tells me to check my flight as Marlene's (Our current Section Chair) flight got cancelled and can't get re-booked until Wed. We had a white Christmas this year and received about 3 inches of snow. The roads were much better on Sunday and mom and I had no problems driving. However, Atlanta was being hit by a snow storm and the airport shut down. I checked Airtran (my airline) and everything was okay. Monday morning the roads will be better, flights will resume and everything will be good.
Day 1: Monday, December 27th: Wake up at 6 AM after getting about 3 hours of sleep (was way too excited to sleep), I don't have to leave the house for the airport until about 8ish as my flight doesn't leave Lambert until 10:13 AM. I am too excited to get back to sleep, so I get up, check my flight- flight is on time, no cancellations :)- shower, and finish packing. Arrive at airport about 8:40ish after a detour to McDonald's (mom must have her Egg McMuffin...and I want a Sausage Biscuit). Check my bag, bid farewell to parents, go through security without a hitch (no body scanner just a metal detector) and head off to my departure gate. While waiting for my flight, I get a call from Marlene who asks me to represent the section as the Section Chair Designee at Nationals. I am beyond honored to be asked and readily agree. Board flight, enjoy free wi-fi on flight, arrive in Atlanta after a smooth and speedy flight (we actually arrived 10 min early). Start walking towards baggage claim, took me 3 terminals to figure out that the train in the airport actually went to BC. Haul my bag of the carousel, head towards MARTA (think Metrolink only with lots more connections), meet up some brothers :) and head off to the hotel. After checking into the hotel, I wander downstairs to register. Come off the elevator, see tons of brothers and exclaim "Brothers!"...one actually had the audacity to call me 'Sister', started walking off, but came back and pointed and said "Brother!" and went in search of registration. Register, even tho I have to change my badge so I can get on legislative floor (this doesn't happen until Tuesday morning). Venture into the Fraternity store and purchase my first souvenir: a APO teddy bear :) Encounter Jenn Churchill and go up to Region 8 Suite where we chill until the Region 8 meeting (me alternately calling & checking on my chapter (The great Sigma Alpha) to see where my brothers (Keely & Steven are). The Region meeting goes off well (Discover Jenn C is referred to as Octomom by her home chapter hehe), get to see many more brothers I have missed and meet new ones :) and after the meeting: Dinner! I am starving as I did not eat lunch (but I had breakfast which is odd as I usually don't eat breakfast). So Chad, Bill, Jenn G, Jenn Churchill, Lindsay, Travis, Larry Ent and myself (& others whose names I can't remember at the moment-sry) head over to the attached mall's food court for dinner where I discover the awesomeness that is Moe's Southwest Grill (for evidence that it is awesome, I ate there at least 4 times during my stay in ATL). This is the first of many trips to the mall; it was a long walk. So I ended up getting a lot of exercise at Nat ConKeely & Steven arrive 15 or so min before OC. Attended the Opening Ceremonies that night where Nat Con opened w/ a bang: the Atlanta drum line performed for us- they were incredible!! The Convention Staff gives us glow sticks and the convention begins! Keely & Steven are starving so I take my second trip to the food court only to discover it is closed (apparently it closed at 6PM). They go in search of food elsewhere and I head up to the Region Suite to figure out the game plan and chill. End up going to bed around midnight or so.
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