Learning to Pack Like a Pro

Brianna McKay, Kappa Eta, Texas Christian University

Hello everyone! I have come to the realization over the past few weeks that this job has taught me how to pack and how to pack well. Now that I am not traveling as often, I know that last semester traveling full time has given me several tips on how to travel for the rest of my life. The reason I know this is because I recently traveled to visit our chapter at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. I was there for a whole week and I only took a carry on! This was a major accomplishment for me and this is how I know I can pack like a pro now.

So for those of you who do not travel very often I wanted to compile a list of packing tips and tricks. So here are my tips for all of you:

1. Roll or bag your items
   • Everyone needs to save room in their bag right? Well the best way I have found to do this is by rolling my clothes or putting them in large Ziploc bags. This helps to keep things organized and also to save some room in your bag.
2. Cut down the shoes
   • The hardest thing for me to cut out of my suitcase is shoes. But it is also the easiest thing to discard from your bag. Just bring the basics. Think nude and black shoes that will match the majority of your outfits.
3. Always bring some Wet Ones
   • Sometimes I feel so gross while traveling. This is an idea that I took from Cossette Powley, Zeta Omicron, when we traveled to a chapter together. She always travels with Wet Ones and I decided I needed to do this as well. It is helpful to clean-up after you eat, wipe down the tray table or just clean-up after a long day spent on a plane.
4. Travel with a reusable water bottle (preferably one that clips onto your bag)
   • I always travel with a reusable water bottle so that as soon as I get through security I can fill it up with water. I realized though that water bottles take up a lot of room in your bags. So I found a great water bottle that I can clip onto the outside of my purse. This is perfect because I can stay hydrated and I don’t have to take up any precious space in my bags.

My last tip is don’t forget to bring one comfort item. I know this may sound silly but when you are away from home it is great to feel like you have a piece of home with you. My comfort item I travel with is a small blanket to keep me warm wherever I am!

Tell me what your travel tips are! I love to learn new things to travel with or new ways to pack my bags.

Until next time,

Bri

Time for Phase Three

Brianna McKay, Kappa Eta, Texas Christian University

Time is flying by and it is hard to believe that this semester is almost over. This semester has been a whirlwind. I have been to 12 states, gone to 14 campuses and made over 19 chapter visits. Traveling has become my friend this semester and I have realized just how much I love to see the vast country we live in.

For those of you who don’t know there are three jobs you can do as a leadership consultant: you can serve as a new chapter consultant, a traveling consultant and a colony consultant. So far in my LC journey I have been able to check two of these off of my list. Well now it’s time for phase 3. Time to check off being a colony consultant. I am moving to the Hoosier state and taking on Indiana University with Morgan.

Phase 3 is exciting but it also means an end to phase 2. It means I have to break-up with my suitcase. A suitcase that has been there for me all semester. I have tried to decide what to name my suitcase but nothing has stuck. A suitcase that was always a little too close to the 50 pound weight limit. My suitcase has been my home this semester, and I’m sad that we are going to have to part ways.

The end of phase 2 also means the end of my airport time. It might sound crazy to some of you but I have grown to truly enjoy my time in the airport. It has become a norm for me and I will miss the time I get in the many airports I have been to across the country.

Phase 2 meant I got to explore many places, meet new people and cross some states off my bucket list. But phase 3 also means a lot to me. I am overjoyed to have the opportunity to start a chapter of Sigma Kappa. To explore Bloomington, IN and all it has to offer. To bring the sorority experience to new women and see Sigma Kappa change their life, just like it did for me.

Phase 3 I am ready for you and I cannot wait for January.

xoxo,

Bri

5 Life Hacks I’ve Learned Living Out of a Suitcase

Julia Lapham, Kappa Xi, University of Nevada, Reno

1. T-shirt:

If any of y’all are like me, my clothes seem to not only attract those awful white deodorant stains, but also spread them to parts of my clothes that get nowhere near my armpits! Well, if you understand the hassle of trying to quickly remove any evidence of this white catastrophe, fear no more! The life hack for this common problem is to simply use any article of clothing that is the same fabric, wipe it on the stain, and voila! It’s gone.

2. Dryer sheets:

Being from Nevada and all, we don’t generally have a huge problem with humidity. This being said, static seems to get on anything and everything. So, to prevent this from causing dresses and skirts to stick to your legs or even stray pieces of hair from making you look like a porcupine, be sure to carry some extra dryer sheets around in your bag. If you simply take a fresh sheet and rub it on whatever surface is causing the static, it will quickly disappear.

3. Deodorant:

Hot summer weather, shorts, dresses and skirts; these factors can all easily add to painful chafing to happen on the insides of your thighs (if this has never happened to you, consider yourself lucky!). To prevent this summertime fiasco, use clear, solid deodorant, rub it on the affected area, and your legs should no longer rub together!

4. Coffee Filter:

With recruitment comes sardine packed rooms and lots of body heat. If you’ve ever found yourself in a situation in which you had a little extra oil on your face and no oil wipes in hand, I may have a solution for you! A quick home ready to get rid of facial shine is…wait for it…coffee filters! This cheap and quick fix will work just as well as oil wipes. Just dab a fresh coffee filter where you need it most, and watch the shine disappear.

5. Flat iron:

One of my biggest pet peeves about living out of my suitcase for months at a time is the wrinkled effect that a majority of my clothes seem to constantly have. Besides constantly carrying wrinkle release spray (which is also a great alternative!), I’ve learned to use an object which I never travel without: my flat iron. Although it may not be good to use for large surfaces, a flat iron is perfect for getting out any kinks that you may have in your shorts, blazers, and even most blouses.

I hope that some of these tips that I’ve learned while traveling on the road come in handy in any of your future travel (or non-travel) endeavors!

You’re Telling me I’m 50 Pounds Lighter Now?

Jaynie Levinson

Talk about people walking around with a lot of “personal baggage”; I have a bittersweet feeling parting with my 50-pound best friend. It’s almost time to retire my suitcase. Despite a few shaky wheels, a broken handle, and a slight rip, we made it across the country together. That oversized navy bag only lost itself once, throughout my entire year…it always knew I couldn’t live without it, we were best friends connected at the hip!
We were very much the same…

Sometimes I would go on chapter visits and eat my heart away, and my pants might have been a little snug. Unfortunately for the bag, it suffered a similar feeling when I was craving a shopping spree. The women working the front desk at the airport would give me this look, but let me slide with 52 pounds…we all feel a little overweight sometimes, so I totally understand. Luckily, I’m not pressured to get on a scale twice a week!

We were practically BFFs. You think I’m crazy talking about my bag as my friend, but that bag held my entire LIFE for a year!

‘Big Blue’ held my bathing suit so I could go to the beaches of California. It held my thickest sweaters for the snowiest of winters in Oregon, and it even made it to the Vegas!

That bag carried letters, notes and gifts I received from my wonderful sisters. The comfy clothes to get into after a long day. The pictures of my family, friends and boyfriend when I got homesick. That bag carried the magic cure for all my emotions since day one.
I have to say, I’m extremely blessed to have had such an amazing friend for the past few months. It’s the only other thing besides myself that got to experience and see all the wonderful places and people that I did.

Hopefully it’s not goodbye forever, but see you later 50 pounder! Hopefully we will travel the world together one day…

Until next time,
Love always
Jaynie and ‘Big Blue’

FAQ: The Life of an LC

Kassy Pierson

Hey y’all!

As our time on the road winds down, I was thinking back to my trips and all the wonderful women that I’ve been blessed to meet. Thinking it over, many of you have the same questions about the lives that we live on the road, so I figured I would answer a few of the basics here! Since I am a full-time traveler, that’s how I’ve answered the questions, but don’t forget that there are residentially based consultants as well. They’d have very different answers from mine, so feel free to pick their brains too. As consultants, we know what a crazy concept our jobs are sometimes and love answering your questions, so please don’t ever hesitate to keep asking them.

Gift to ASU colony 🙂

Where do you live? As a traveling consultant, I live wherever you have a space for me! In my experience, it was usually a guest bedroom in the chapter house, a sister’s room or in a hotel.

Do you go home every time you leave a chapter? No ma’am! As consultants, you receive a certain number of personal days which you can use whenever you want throughout the semester, therefore, you choose when you get to go home.

At Ball State University with some great ladies!

Is it hard living out of your suitcase? Actually, I thought it was going to be harder, but it turned out to be a surprisingly pleasant experience. I switched clothes each time I went home, which was once a month, therefore I never got sick of any outfits. I also packed so many mix match items that I rarely re-wore the same outfit. If I did, I had different accesories to change it up!

What do you do if you need something while on the road? Well, that is where y’all come into play. If I ever needed some personal items like shampoo or makeup, I would just ask if any chapter women were headed to the store and then asked if I could tag along. It always made for fun adventures!

The Seuss Spruce according to SUNY Geneseo! So neat!

Traveling is exhausting, don’t you get tired?! Sure we do! I would love to tell you that we have come up with a secret cure for sleepiness, but it hasn’t happened yet. Just like everyone else, we get tired too. The neat part of our job is that we are constantly seeing things for the first time so it helps to keep us energized and excited.

How do you do your laundry? The same way that you do! Usually it comes in the form of the washer and dryer in the chapter’s facilities.

And finally, the mammoth of all questions…Don’t you miss home? Of course I miss home; home is a great place to be, but I’ve been blessed to be given the opportunity to meet amazing women and see so many parts of the country. So how could I not love that too? :]

Cutest little inn that I stayed at! Fredonia, NY

It has been a pleasure serving Sigma Kappa and y’all this year – thanks for the moments and for the memories!

❤ Kassy