Monday, September 24, 2012

bring on the lasts


This weekend was really the first time it's sunk in that annual events that I have attended and loved for the past 4 years are winding down and becoming a "last". On Friday, I went to my last Alpha Phi Red Dress Gala as an Alpha Phi collegiate member. 

My parents came into town on Friday afternoon and we scurried off to Squires Commonwealth Ballroom for the Gala. This was my Dad's first time attending Red Dress Gala, and I was so happy to have both of them there to celebrate my senior year with Alpha Phi. 


We had never held Red Dress Gala in Squires before, but it ended up being the perfect venue! The decorations looked great, the food was delicious, the band was awesome, the silent auction was on point, and of course, everyone looked great in their red and black dresses.


I think everyone in attendance had an amazing and unforgettable night, and we even raised over $10,000 for the Alpha Phi Foundation. 

The next morning started off at 9:30am with a classic Johnson tailgate. My family and I all went over and enjoyed the delicious spread of tailgate food and drinks. A bunch of Alpha Phi seniors and their families were there and we hung out before the Hokies played Bowling Green at 12pm.



Of course my Dad loves to get to Lane Stadium early, so we left the tailgate around 11am to head over to watch the pregame pageantry. Although we had a rough start to the game, the Hokies took over and killed Bowling Green, 37-0. Not bad!


I feel so lucky to have had my family here with me this weekend to celebrate my last Red Dress Gala and Alpha Phi Parents Weekend. Why do we have to grow up so fast? I wish I could be a freshman and do it all over again. But I wouldn't want to change a thing!!

Monday, September 17, 2012

life is a highway


So last night I made a somewhat spontaneous 2 hour road trip up to Charlottesville for my best friend, Kelsey's, 21st birthday. We had been discussing this plan since summer, and luckily it all came together last week so that Katie and I would be able to meet up and stay with Kelsey at UVA for the night of her 21st.

Although the trip was short, we had an amazing time celebrating with Kelsey and her friends! We hung out at her apartment for awhile before heading to "the corner" to celebrate in true UVA fashion. And of course, we ended the night with cheesy bread. Katie and I were just so glad Kelsey had such a good night!


The true test of the trip, however, came this morning when I woke up and headed to the parking lot to get my car and hit the road back to Tech. As I was pulling out of my parking spot, a woman stopped me to tell me I had a flat tire. I had no idea what to do. I was in Charlottesville. Katie was already back at JMU. Kelsey was in class. So it was just me and the parking attendant.

Although this all may seem to be completely unlucky on my part...especially as a Hokie in the middle of Hooville, there was a lot of positive and good luck in this unfortunate event. Luckily I was warned of this flat tire before I got on the road. Luckily Jesse (parking attendant) was willing to help me change my flat tire. Luckily I had a spare tire in the trunk. Luckily I wasn't in a rush to make it back to class.

I do not want to point fingers or put blame where it may not be deserved, but there is something suspicious about my car's front tire going flat overnight in a UVA parking lot when my car is clearly marked as a Hokie girl's. At first...I'll admit it...I was furious. Why would this happen to me? Why today? Who did this to me? But I gathered myself and my frustrations, and Jesse (a UVA graduate might I add) changed my flat tire despite his preconceived "I don't know how I feel about doing a Hokie a favor" attitude.

And before I knew it, I was ready to head back home to Blacksburg. As I started driving, I got to thinking about all of the good I had already seen today. Sure enough, there are nice people in Charlottesville, and all over the world for that matter, that are willing to help without recognition.

The more I though about it, the more I realized just how much I needed this trip to visit my best friends for 12 short hours. I needed to be tested with a flat tire in a place where I knew no one. And I needed just a few hours to drive and think. To put all my worries away and to not be able to do anything for a short while.


Life is a highway, my friends. Enjoy the ride!

Friday, September 14, 2012

PINK TAKES TECH


After weeks of voting and competition against other colleges last semester, Virginia Tech came out on top to win the Victoria Secret PINK Tailgate Party! The party was set up on the Drillfield and it was a HUGE production. There was an awesome stage for Chiddy Bang and Gym Class Heroes, two of PINK's models walking around the Drillfield, a bunch of pink tailgate games like cornhole and football toss, a photo booth, and even an outdoor VT PINK store.

The party started around 5:00pm and went until around 10:00. Luckily, my professor let us out of our 5:00 class early to head down to the Drillfield to check it out. I met up with Talene first! We explored the Drillfield, got some free swag, and took a few pictures. 


Then I met up with Alli, Alexandra, and KJ once they were out of class and done with dinner. We sat at the picnic benches, drew on the big pink TECH letters, and danced around to the DJ. 



I didn't end up staying for the Gym Class Heroes concert, but I could hear it all they way in Oak Lane all night. Thanks, Victoria Secret PINK for coming to Tech! We had a great time!! 

ALSO, VS PINK recently had a contest among the VT sororities to win free PINK t-shirts to wear at next weekend's home football game. And Alpha Phi won! I can't wait to get my free t-shirt. ALPHA PHI LOVES PINK!

Thursday, September 6, 2012

gameday reflections

Monday night's Orange Effect game in Lane Stadium was unlike any Hokie Football game I have ever experienced. I needed to write down my thoughts somewhere, and what better place than here? The day started out like this...

All my classes were cancelled due to "parking issues on campus" so I had all day to get fired up for the big game. I mean ALL DAY. Alli even curled my hair during our free time! 

I got all decked out in my orange Sports Marketing polo, khaki pants, maroon and orange accessories, and Hokie Nikes. I was ready to goooo.


I met the other Sports Marketing interns at the office in Cassell at 4:45 for our pregame meeting. We were assigned roles for both the pregame and during the game. And I was one of the lucky interns who got to stand on the sidelines the whole game!

My first pregame activity was to block off Spring Road for the pregame parade. Around 5:45 the football team, cheerleaders, HighTechs, Marching Virginians, and Highty Tighties march along Spring Road for all the fans to see! I had only ever seen this parade once before when my parents were in town, so it was really cool to be there to see it!!

After the parade, the interns and I headed up to the Media suite for our "Media Meal". We ate an awesome dinner with all of the media teams at the game. It was also great to just sit down and talk to the VT Sports Marketing Staff for a little bit before the madness started.

After dinner, Patrick and I went back to the office to run some errands and then escorted Caleb Hurd to the field. Caleb was a former VT Hokie football player and currently works for NASCAR in Dale Earnhardt's pit crew. He read the Hokies Respect motto at the beginning of the game!

Before I knew it, Enter Sandman was blasting in Lane Stadium and the whole place was jumping. I have never seen a crowd like that in my life...all dressed in orange and SCREAMING for the Hokies! It is definitely a memory I will keep forever. I wish everyone could experience what it's like to be on the field during Enter Sandman.


Throughout the game, the other interns and I had various tasks that we were assigned to including StubHub's move of the game, the halftime presentation, etc. But the majority of the game we got to spend standing on the sidelines watching our Hokies. We even made it on ESPN a time or two!

Although the game was at times very stressful and uneventful, it ended up in overtime with a win for the Hokies! At first I was hesitant about being on the field for my last first game as an undergrad. Not getting to tailgate with my friends, not sitting in North End Zone for the first time ever, not being able to jump to Enter Sandman and scream my lungs out during key plays. But I truly am so thankful I have this opportunity to intern with Virginia Tech Athletics. I will certainly not take a moment of this experience for granted!

Monday, September 3, 2012

ORANGE EFFECT!


It's finally here! Game day in Blacksburg. Tonight we take on Georgia Tech in Lane Stadium at 8:00!!


Campus is rockin' out in orange and maroon. Tailgate tents have been up since the crack of dawn. Enter Sandman is on repeat as we gear up for kickoff.
WE. ARE. READY.


And to top it all off, tonight I will be ON THE SIDELINES as a VT Sports Marketing Intern. Look out, ESPN!

LET'S GO HOKIES!!!