Bound By Ties Of Friendship
by Meagan Harris, Delta Epsilon (Jacksonville State U), 2017-2018 Educational Leadership Consultant
Being an ELC has been an amazing experience so far. Experiencing a lot of new places, eating really great food, meeting new people, what is there not to like?
Even though it is a fun job, it is still a job and it comes with great challenges. When starting my travels, I was most nervous about being away from my group of friends back at home for such a long time and being by myself. That is no longer the case. Now, I deal with the same hard task weekly, which is saying goodbye. Every visit I walk into a place not knowing a single soul then leave gaining a lot of new relationships. I have met such phenomenal women on the road, but the chapter that really made me feel like I had known them for forever was Delta Sigma at San Jose State University.
The chapter members were so enthusiastic, hilarious and not afraid to be themselves. We instantly bonded the first night when some of us jammed out in the car to one of my favorite songs. It was so nice to be able to meet a lot of chapter members and be able to talk with each one like they had already been my friends. I was not only able to bond with the members but the advisers as well. One of their advisers, Madeline, had her best friend in town so she invited me to hang out with them and see the city. I am beyond thankful to have met her and her best friend. They are now women I will connect with well after my travels are over. Also, I was able to spend a day with advisers, Trish and Sierra, and I was able to get to know them, see Facebook Headquarters, and the Stanford area. Getting to meet Bay Area locals, exploring San Francisco, eating at Icicles, and everything in between, Delta Sigma made it incredibly hard to say see you later (I couldn’t say goodbye).
When I left, I received thank you cards from the chapter, and I am so grateful to have a piece of them that I can always keep with me. It amazes me how much AOII continues to bring blessings into my life. The sheaf of wheat, represents individuals bound together by ties of friendship and made stronger together than they are apart. I am constantly reminded of its significance each visit.
