Enjoy The Ride

Here at school, all the Greek organizations have to have an academic advisor. Typically, in my understanding, it is a member of the faculty here was a member of that organization in college (I know, you are in it for life or whatever, but well, that's just too complicated). Fortunately, there is no faculty member here who was/is a Delta Delta Delta. I say fortunately because that means that we get to have Owen McFadden as our academic advisor.

We love Owen; its pretty universal. I think there is something about it in Initiation (well, Owen does come to our after-Initiation dinner!). I didn't really get to know Owen very well last semester; he is in charge of intramural sports, and we just never saw each other. But last night, he invited my pledge class over for dinner. He and his lovely wife, Mary Beth, made us lasagna, salads, bread, brownies and ice cream. It was delicious. It was wonderful to hang out in a house (a real house! With real walls, not cinder blocks! Right, Liz?)! I can't even explain it to you. Sitting down to a home-cooked meal, not worrying about anything at school, just talking and laughing with someone NOT within four years of age of me.

 I was having so much fun that when my ride left, I decided to stay behind and get a ride with someone else. Naturally, one person leaving led to an influx of nearly everyone deciding they needed to leave as well. Everyone, that is, except my friend Olivia and I. Neither of us drove, and we told Owen we should probably head out. "I can drive you back later!" He said. Olivia and I looked at each other, listened to the car doors slamming, and just shrugged. We helped Mary Beth clean up a little, but then we retired to the living room to talk. Oh my gosh. It was so fun. We talked about Tri Delta, we talked about Owen's genealogy, we talked about how Mary Beth and Owen met (Mary Beth dated Owen's best friend for three and a half years!), we talked about how two years ago they drove across the country (I got to look through their picture albums; the pictures are amazing! Daddy, I told you that is what I want to do after I graduate, and this conversation just reinforced it!), we talked about their kids. Oh and get this: Mary Beth's family is from Hungary. Yes indeed! So naturally I freaked out about that. She'd been to Budapest a few years ago, so we talked about how beautiful it is. (Side note: Thankfully, I can't get away from Hungary! I have a friend here whose dad was raised in Hungary, we talked about Hungarian the language in my Intro to Islam class, Mary Beth is Hungarian, it came up somewhere else too...I love it!) It was such a fun night. Seriously, we talked and talked and laughed. Finally around 11:30, I asked Owen to take us home because I had an 8:30 this morning.

  I got back to the room, and Karen said, "Where have you been?!" I told her I'd been at Owen's and we talked about the night. Then she said, "You are in such a good mood!" And then I started freaking out (in excitement) about how good I felt, how relaxing it was, how it was weird that I hadn't really felt this good since coming to school. Karen said, "See, its important for you to have a life!" (or something along those lines) Its true, though. There were a couple time sitting at Owen's that I thought, I should check my phone, make sure everything's ok back on the hall. But then I put it out of my mind and just enjoyed myself. I learned a valuable lesson. Even today I've noticed that I tend to be more up-tight, but I keep remember how relaxed I was yesterday and am trying to have that attitude all the time. Sure, there are problems that I need to deal with, but they don't need to control me. So that is my new resolution (Karen, I know you are proud. ;) And as my roomie, I'm asking you to hold me accountable to that!).