KJB Goes to Golden Convention

Gotta love a Facebook memory

Unless you live under a rock, or just don't pay any attention to me, you know that I recently went to my sorority, Alpha Gamma Delta's 50th Convention in San Antonio.

Advisors as a collegian and now friends!

What to say about Convention?

To state it simply, each Alpha Gamma Delta event- be that TLC, Recruitment visit, Alumnae event or Convention- gets better and better. For the simple fact that I get to see and meet more people and I get to learn more and care more deeply for our Fraternity year after year.

The say goes, "it's not Four Years, but For Life."

While going through recruitment you may hear that thrown around during the rounds from active members and you may wonder what that even means. While on the other side in your chapter as a collegian, you may hear it so often that you might be tempted to eye roll. It's not until you are on the other side of the collegian/alumnae spectrum that you're able to quite grasp to.

Met Catherine (middle) at TLC 2017, Met Ang (right) online

You join Greek Life for a multitude of reasons at the ripe old age of 18, believing you know the ways of the world. In my case, I was 19 when I joined Alpha Gamma Delta and was 22 when I firmly believed that simple act would be one of the greatest and most beneficial of my life. Then at 26, I finally attended my first Convention, our Golden (50th) Convention in San Antonio. I was able to meet up with women from my initiating chapter, Omega (The University of Akron) that have always been a part of my Alpha Gamma Delta experience, and our friendships and sisterhood continue to grow. I also met up with sisters from the chapters (Beta Delta, Indiana University. Beta Tau, Ball State University. Beta Xi, Purdue University. Epsilon, University of Kentucky. Gamma Omicron, Eastern Kentucky. Theta Upsilon, Georgetown College.) I support as a member of VST (Volunteer Service Team) along with the chapters I've visited for Recruitment (Zeta Delta, Towson University. Delta Iota, Chico State University.). Getting to be face to face with sisters that I've met through the wonderful (and sometimes terrible) wonderful of social media. Reconnecting with sisters I've met through Alumnae events such as Circle in the City or some other factor. [Even my best friend that now works for our FHC was able to experience his first convention as a staff member].

JP, Regional Property Manager for AGD Fraternity Housing Corporation

Stepping away from the mundane events of your life is always beneficial, but getting to step away and immerse yourself in your 114 year old sisterhood with 800 sisters is just damn good for the soul. It's a necessary recharge to the psyche.

So while I and countless others were experiencing our first convention, we were introduced to a sister attending her 32nd! (Convention is every two years). One of the first she attended being in 1954 when she was able to actually meet a handful of our actual Founders.

That's what we mean when we say, "it's not Four Years, but For Life!" While you're in it, your collegiate time seems like the most important and it is, it allows for our Fraternity to grow, but our time within the organization is more greatly spent as an alumna. How lucky are we, that our experience doesn't end with college graduation.

As our new installed International Vice President Education, Catherine Matthews wrote on the aforementioned Facebook memory (above), "And that, my friend, is what it's all about. Here's to more friends and more fabulous times. ❤️💛💚"

Here's to that!

xo,

KJB

Our next Convention is in 2020 in Phoenix and you can bet your ass I'll be there with bells on and hopefully my mother too!