"On the Road Again" by Trisha Bedsole

Hi! My name is Trisha Bedsole and I am an initiate of the Fall 2013 new member class at Beta Alpha. When I first pledged Alpha Xi Delta, I had no idea what was in store for me. Alpha Xi gave me SO many friends and helped me grow as a woman, and now, I even have a job with the fraternity. Who would have thought that this sisterhood would really go beyond just your four years in college?

I currently serve as an Educational Leadership Consultant, or ELC, with Fraternity Headquarters for this academic year. Very soon after my graduation, I packed up my suitcases and flew to Indianapolis, Indiana. I was greeted by the 12 other travel ing consultants – sisters from other chapters who would soon mean more to me than I could ever imagine – and we made our way to 8702 Founders Road. The 13 of us spent the summer at Fraternity Headquarters learning the ins and outs of sorority operations, and a few of post-grad life tips as well. Let’s be honest, I probably really needed those #adulting pointers fresh out of graduation! Luckily, the fraternity staff devoted their summer to developing us into strong, individual leaders, and prepared us for the day when we would quite literally fly out of the nest.

In early August, I hopped on a plane and flew to my stationed chapter, Kappa Gamma, at the University of South Carolina. Kappa Gamma recently received its charter and was about to commence its first formal recruitment. Having gone through recruitment at UT, I thought this would be a breeze. There is nothing quite like a Texas recruitment… and honestly, there really isn’t anything like a U of SC recruitment either. On my first day on the road, I was greeted by over 100 beautiful, kind women who were so eager for recruitment, but more eager to meet the little sisters this year would bring. The chapter worked diligently to prepare for the 2,000 potential new members they would meet during recruitment. In the following weeks, I chanted with, supported and sanitized (y’all - there was a nasty stomach bug going around) all of my new sisters. Through the highs and lows, Kappa Gamma did an amazing job at their first recruitment. On Bid Day, Alpha Xi Delta at the University of South Carolina welcomed 97 new Sisters, and so did I.

The rest of my travels have been just as impactful. I have met some of the most amazing women, seen beautiful parts of the country, and learned about myself as an individual. My foundation at Beta Alpha is what prepared me for this role, and I have endless continued support from my sisters. Being away from home is hard, but I know this experience is helping me to realize my potential. As an ELC, I hope I can help other sisters realize their potential and feel the love that Alpha Xi Delta has given to me!

Hook ‘Em and Heart Sunshine,