Senior Year Reflection

It has yet to hit me that this is my senior year. I’m still in disbelief that this is the final step before crossing over into the Chi Omega Alumni Chapter. As I’m approaching my fourth year in Chi Omega I get an overwhelming feeling of happiness, comfort and absolute pure joy thinking about my years in this chapter. Although Chi Omega is for a lifetime, it is very difficult to come to terms that this is the final year of being surrounded by my sisters on a daily basis. So many emotions and memories come to mind as I reminisce, but the common feeling tends to be thankful. I am so incredibly thankful for the women that I have met over the years that have left such an impression on my heart. I have never really been an extremely sappy person but Chi Omega has definitely tugged on my heartstrings. Yes, I think that living in a house with 46 other girls has something to do with it, but more importantly, it’s the genuine appreciation and respect I have for the rest of this sisterhood.  I have watched friendships form into something magical as our sisterhood has grown over the years.

As you go through college, you make so many different decisions about majors, clubs and other activities that we are very unsure of; however, Chi Omega is the only thing that I’m absolutely certain about. If I had to redo my time at the University of Florida, I would choose Chi Omega 100 times over. As I’m reunited with my sisters during Sister’s Week, I am reminded how lucky I am to be a part of something like this. I have met my best friends and mentors here who have seen me at my best and my worst. I have over 150 different and smiling reasons as to why I chose Chi Omega. I have enjoyed watching them accomplish their goals and express their passions over the years, and I could not be prouder.  Seeing both of my littles succeed in Chi Omega and on campus brings out my proud motherly instincts, if you’d like to call it that. I thoroughly enjoy seeing Paulina serve on the Chi Omega Executive Board and Sarah work as the Director of Printing for Gator Growl. These two little nuggets mean the world to me within this chapter, and it will definitely be hard to say goodbye to them after this year.

Beyond my family within Chi Omega, there are so many more just like this that share close bonds in their own special way. I cannot thank Sarah and Paulina enough for being such strong role models within this chapter and spread the excitement for Chi Omega to younger girls. They have supported me in any way, shape and form and I’m blessed that they have been such a huge part of my time in Chi Omega.

 I cannot wait to see what this year brings as we welcome PC ’13. I can only hope that these young ladies realize how much Chi Omega will change their lives for the better and they treasure each and every moment we have together.

Chi O Love and Mine,

Haley Bell

Haley and her littles, Paulina & Sarah

Haley & other seniors in Chi Omega

Home is Wherever I'm With You

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Sisters Week: Day 1

It feels so wonderful to finally be home at Eta Delta and reunited with each other again! This summer was a long 3 months apart!  Day 1 of Sisters Week is underway and we could not be more excited to be here.  While we are having so much fun catching up & goofing around,  we are having an even bigger blast preparing for Panhellenic Recruitment! We really cannot wait to meet all the PNMs this Saturday! 

FOUR DAYS!

All of us taking pretty pictures in front of our beautiful home!

Acting silly as always and pretending to be our symbol, owls!

Some of our seniors taking pictures on the balcony!

Seniors having some fun! Megan thought it would be funny to pretend she was falling over the ledge...

Some of our previous executive board members & the current 2013 members!

Of course we took the classic jumping picture!

After dinner tonight, we had a candlelight ceremony.  Sister Kelsey Cansler was lavaliered by her boyfriend!

A Word from our Recruitment Chair

Hi, My name is Chelsea Sachs and I just wanted to take some time to introduce myself. One of the reasons why I am so honored to serve as the Recruitment Chair for Chi Omega is because being a PNM and going through recruitment was one of my favorite memories from my freshman year. This is the busiest time of the year for me, but of course the most exciting! With the end of the summer fast approaching, we will have new amazing sisters in no time at all!

Being a Chi O is to be a part of the most amazing group of women that I know. I could not be prouder to be a member of this organization, and I am so excited to give the potential new members a glimpse into our sisterhood during recruitment week. Being a Chi Omega has made me a better person. It has helped me get involved on campus, kept my grades strong, and has given the most incredible memories with genuine women who have become my best friends.

Joining Greek life at the University of Florida is a chance for girls to not only have an exciting and fun college experience, but also a way to give back to the Gainesville community. Going Greek provides you with the chance to become a leader on campus, work closely with multiple philanthropies, and most importantly connects you to a support system that you can always rely on!

Each year we as Chi Omegas look to welcome the most outstanding women to join our sisterhood. My recruitment team and I have been hard at work over the past few months preparing for each and every PNM to walk through the doors of Chi Omega and into our home! Panhellenic Recruitment will probably be one of the most exciting and memorable experiences you will have at the University of Florida, and we want to ensure that it remains a great experience for everyone. We look forward to getting to know each and every one of you in just a few weeks and can’t wait to meet the potential new members of our Chi Omega family!

Best Wishes,

Chelsea Sachs

Chelsea Sachs, Chi Omega Recruitment Chair

Chelsea and some of PC 10 before Round 1 of Recruitment last year!

Chelsea & Rachel on Bid Day awaiting PC 12! 

Summer 2013 Video

Watch this video to see what our sisters have been up to this summer and get a glimpse into our incredible sisterhood.

Chi Omega love & ours,

Eta Delta 

It's a Chi Omega Wedding!

It’s funny to think the girl who has been by my side my entire life is getting married. It feels like just yesterday we were playing with Barbies, our American Girl Dolls and dreaming about Steven from Laguna Beach. (Let’s be honest, we’re still dreaming about Steven form Laguna Beach.)

This girl is not just a girl. She is my sister. We’ve coined the term, a sister twice over. This is because she was there when I came into this world as a human and she was there as I came into this world as a Chi Omega sister. Sharing a bond that is not only biological, but through something greater than you, like Chi Omega, is a phenomenon that words cannot describe.

So my older sister is getting married. AH!!! And I am the Maid of Honor. (I like to think by choice, not default.) This means I was able to sit in on the dress shopping. That took place last weekend. Emily (PC ’07, and old President) was accompanied by yours truly, our fabulous mother, Emily’s future mother-in-law, and her future sister-in-law (She’s also a Chi Omega at UNC-Wilmington!) Although it was nothing like Say Yes to the Dress or Bridesmaids, we had the best weekend filled with fun, laughter and happiness. It truly is special to bring two families together, that are bonded by love. It’s also truly special to share such a milestone with my sorority sister, best friend and biological sister. With that said, Emily, if you are reading this, please remember that and do not put me in a hideous bridesmaid dress!!

Chi O Love and Mine,

Sarah Bootcheck

PC’11

                    Emily browsing the gowns (To her request, I was NOT allowed to post any of her in a gown, sorry!)

Myself, Emily, and Ali (Emily’s future sister-in-law and Chi Omega!)     

Register for Recruitment!

If you haven't registered for Fall Panhellenic Recruitment, visit UFPanhellenic.org today! 

Don't forget to sign up by August 14th! 

Sporty Spice Takes Denver

Seeing that sports are practically the center of my existence, it seemed only fitting for me to apply for an internship with North American Sports Group. Two directors from the company presented to one of my Sports Management classes in the spring about a paid internship with NASG which is a company responsible for hosting 3v3 sports tournaments all across the country. Hoop It Up basketball, Rock the Box lacrosse, Let it Fly football, and Kick It soccer are NASG’s 4 properties. The Kick-It property is actually the world’s largest 3v3 soccer tournament! After receiving the call that I would be hired as a Team Services intern, I packed for my trip to their main office in Denver, Colorado. Most of my job here consists of planning 100-team tournaments all over the U.S. and the rest of my job consists of working at local soccer events here in Denver. I love the change of scenery here and being able to look out my apartment window to foothills, mountains, and downtown Denver in the distance. Event planning in the arena of sport is what I would love to see in my future as far as my career is concerned. This summer has been an amazing and eye-opening experience to the world of sporting events. However, I am incredibly excited to get back to Gainesville and be reunited with all my Chi Omega sisters.

XOXO Your VP, 

Megan Conlon

Kick It 3v3 Soccer Tournament 

Megan & the other interns having fun in Denver!

A Message From Our President

From my first day running on the lawn to now getting ready to graduate, Chi Omega has been there. It's not only been about finding friends for the 4 years I've been at school, it's become a home away from home. I am so excited for recruitment to not only be reunited with my sisters, but also to be able to welcome a new group of fantastic women. I hope as you look around and get a feel for our sisterhood, you'll be able to catch a glimpse of who we are. 

Chi Omega was and is the best decision I could have made.

Sonia Cox 

Jamie's Involvement

Hey y'all! 

Although I am super jealous of all my sisters who spent time abroad all over the world this summer, I've had a blast staying in Gainesville! 

Both my roommate (shoutout Sarah Seasalt Bootcheck!) and I are very involved on campus, so we've been doing a lot. I myself am on the executive board of the Student Government Senate and have spent a lot of time writing bills and working on projects to better the student body experience here at UF. My favorite project I've worked on is the creation of the new Blue Light Safety App for smartphones. This app will be a great resource for all UF women to feel safer and more secure on campus and I am very proud to have been on the development team! I also planned SG's first annual charity sand volleyball tournament which will be taking place on Wednesday July 17th. I love being involved in SG- it's the perfect opportunity to network with other Panhellenic women, IFC guys and the student body in general all while representing Chi O in the best way I can.

Aside from taking classes, I've also spent the summer applying to dental school. I've wanted to be a dentist for as long as I can remember and cannot believe I am finally actually applying! Ask anyone in Eta Delta and they know who to go to with any dental issues :) My dream would be to stay in Gainesville for another four years and attend the UF College of Dentistry. I find out on December 2nd and can't wait!

Gainesville has truly become my second home and it's been a blast being here all summer, but I can't wait to be reunited with all my sisters for my favorite time of year- recruitment!!

Love,

Jamie Lowstetter

Rachel's Rewarding Summer

This summer I am working at the Conductive Education Center of Orlando (CECO), which is a school for handicapped kids. The kids have severe motor disabilities, mostly cerebral palsy. I am a classroom assistant so I get to work one-on-one with the kids everyday. We work on walking, eating, and fine motor skills to ultimately help the kids become more independent. It is absolutely the most rewarding thing I could be doing! The kids show unconditional love and the desire to work hard and become more independent. This is a picture of me with one of my students, Logan. Smiles like his just light up my day and I am so blessed to have this opportunity this summer! Can't wait to get back to Gainesville and share all the stories about my kids to my sisters!

Chi o love and mine,

Rachel Sofarelli 

Taylor's Sea Turtle Internship

This summer I am continuing my internship with Sea Turtle Conservancy. Located in Gainesville, there aren’t any sea turtles in my office much to my dismay, but we do a lot of policy, grant and public outreach work in order to protect sea turtles internationally and here in Florida. Most people don’t even know STC is located right here in Gainesville so I’ll give you some quick background info on us. STC is the world's oldest sea turtle research and conservation group and it was founded by a UF professor, Dr. Archie Carr, in 1959. It is an international non-profit and is credited with the foundation of sea turtle conservation and research.

Besides getting to obsess over turtles each day, most of my time this summer has been spent planning Tour de Turtles. Tour de Turtles is a sea turtle migration marathon and a turtle release that takes place each year in Florida, Costa Rica and Mexico. Thirteen turtles are sponsored by organizations and each turtle is “racing” to raise awareness about a threat to turtles. Whichever turtle ends up swimming the furthest from where they were released wins the marathon. The satellite trackers on the turtles relay its location to our website, where visitors can pick their own favorite turtle to personally sponsor and keep up with its travels. I am charge of planning the event from volunteers to sponsors and venues, so it is overwhelming at times, but a lot of fun to plan and be a part of. And I get to kind of play with real turtles so I’m loving life.

I also work on projects to raise awareness about sea turtle-friendly lighting in Florida and what humans can do to save sea turtles so here is my save the sea turtles public service announcement to Chi Omega. If you live on the beach or spend time vacationing there, make sure your turn off all lights that are visible to the ocean at night. Nesting turtles and hatchlings confuse artificial lighting for the moon, which is their guide back to the ocean. When they head in the wrong direction, their chance for survival is greatly diminished and they already only have a 1 in 1000 chance of survival. I promise I am not a complete turtle lady…if you have any questions or want more information visit www.conserveturtles.org.

Love,

Taylor Buckels 

Taylor

Taylor reading a story about turtles to children at the Florida Museum of Natural History

Tour de Turtles  

Tour de Turtles

Pre-Dental in Nicaragua

Traveling is something I have always been passionate about. Combine my love of travel with my love of teeth, and I had the perfect week in Nicaragua this Summer! 



As a Pre-Dental biology major, I was presented with the opportunity to travel to Nicaragua on a medical mission trip through Global Medical Training. My job was to assist the Nicaraguan dentists that volunteer their time and travel to the poorest areas of the country to offer free dental work. Almost every patient had a severe problem that needed medical attention. Needless to say, there were tons of cavities, blood, gingivitis, and pulled teeth. The trip was AMAZING and I met some of the most sweet, humble people. One of my favorite parts of the day was when all the children from the town would come to the clinic and we would give them toothbrushes and hang out with them for a little while. The kids were SO fun and I had a blast with them.

The dentists I met in Nicaragua are some of the coolest people I have ever met. One of the dentists, Dr. Claudia, really showed me what it is like to be passionate about being a dentist and all of the opportunities you have in the medical profession. Not only was i surrounded by 40 other University of Florida students, I was also surrounded by fellow PanHellenic women, all of which have the same dream to practice medicine one day. I can't wait to one day be a dentist and I hope to continue volunteering through Global Medical Training!

Love,

Lauren Miller 

Lauren in Nicaragua

Lauren with Dr. Claudia

Lauren with some children in Nicaragua

Mother, Daughter, & Chi O Sisters

Hello there! My name is Francesca Dickhaus and I am about to be a Chi Omega senior, which is slightly terrifying, but true nonetheless. Unlike many of my fabulous jet-setting sisters that we have heard from so far, I have been in Gainesville all summer working. I know…this may seem like a boring summer, but it has actually been very nice! For me, getting away from my crazy pre-med classes for a few months, relaxing by the pool, and resting up for my senior year is the perfect way to spend my time! 


Although most of my summer has been very low key, something just recently happened within my family that I am SO excited about and have been anticipating for quite some time: My Mom got MARRIED! My mother and I have a special bond because not only are we a tight-knit mother-daughter duo, but we are also Chi Omega sisters! And not only that, but my mother was actually a Chi Omega at the Eta Delta chapter at the University of Florida, just like me! Each time she visits UF for Chi O Family Weekend, Mom’s Weekend, or football games throughout the season, she always stops at the house and checks up on her old stomping grounds.


My mom’s wedding was absolutely beautiful! She decided to keep it small, and keep it a secret from everyone but immediate family members. Breaking the news to all of our loved ones after the fact actually turned out to be one of my favorite parts of the whole wedding! She got married in our hometown church and had the reception at the beautiful Vinoy hotel in downtown St. Petersburg. Of course, since we were both so dressed up for the occasion, we had to take a snapshot “throwing what we know” and commemorating the special bond we share as Chi Omegas 
:) 

It is so funny to think about my mom’s years in Chi Omega, spending her time in the very same house and doing many of the same things I am doing right now. She made some of her very best friends in Chi O and made memories that she holds dear to her heart to this day, and I know I am doing the exact same thing right now with all of my sisters in Chi Omega!

Chi O love and mine,


Francesca

Francesca & her mother, Annamaria, at her wedding last week!  

Francesca's mother's bid day photo on the Chi O lawn in the 80s.  She is in the middle row, second from the left! 

Chi Omega Family Weekend 2010

Francesca's family at her mother's wedding!

Amanda's Intern Insight

Oceanview!  Fruit Bar Everyday!  Unlimited drinks!  Celebrity Sightings!

Although this sounds like an amazing vacation, these are just some of the perks provided at my internship this summer!

I am currently interning at a mid-market accounting firm Berkowitz Pollack Brant in Miami, Florida.  This internship is a 7-week rotational internship, in which I spend 2 weeks in each of the 3 accounting departments- tax, audit, and forensics.  This week wraps up the end of my time in the tax department.  All of the firm members have been so welcoming and answered all of my ridiculous questions. 

Just in these last three weeks as an intern I have learned a lot.  Some of the most important lessons I have learned are:

    1.  Ask Questions

a.     As an intern, the staff does not expect you to know everything.  This is a learning experience for you.

        2.  Work Hard

a.     All employers are looking for employees with strong work ethics.

b.     Always ask if there is something extra you can work on or help with.

        3.  Laugh at Your Mistakes 

a.      All employers are looking for employees with strong work ethics.  Always ask if there is something extra you can work on or help with.

b.     It is inevitable that you are going to make mistakes.  So relax and don’t     put more pressure on yourself.    

        4.  Learn from your mistakes

a.     The worst thing to do is make the same mistake over and over again.

Finally,

        5.  Have fun!

a.     Enjoy the moment and the opportunity provided to you!  Take advantage of everything that the company has to offer.  Go out to eat lunch with employees.  Meet people from other departments. 

I hope you all are having a great summer! I can’t wait to be back for the fall!

*And to clarify…
- The office does have an oceanview from the main meeting room for the firm.  The office is located along Biscayne Blvd.

- The fruit bar is part of the firm’s wellness program.  There is always fresh fruit in the kitchen to promote healthier eating.  And the unlimited drinks are limited to water and coffee.  Haha

- The celebrity sightings were during my lunch break on Monday when I stepped outside our building and watched the Miami Heat Championship Parade along Biscayne Blvd.  I watched the floats roll by full of family and friends of the oh so talented Miami Heat players!

Chi O love and Mine,

Amanda Pivacco

Rachel's Birthright

Shalom! I recently returned home from an amazing 10 day trip to Israel. Finally being 18 allowed me to take advantage of the all expense paid 10-day Israel trip through Taglit-Birthright. This trip is for people ages 18-26 that have a Jewish heritage. I went through Chabad at UF which means I was with 39 other UF students who are now some of my closest friends. We started out at the north of Israel in the beautiful Golan Heights and made our way south as the 10 days progressed, concluding our trip on the beach in Tel Aviv. Each day we woke up at 7 and were non-stop hiking and doing activities until dinner time. It was very exhausting but extremely worth it. The first day we hiked the Jilabun water hike which was a hike that ended at a beautiful waterfall. Jerusalem was one of the most amazing cities we visited in Israel. We visited the Western Wall, also known as the Kotel both during the day and later that night for Shabbat. It was an amazing experience and so much fun. That same day we received 8 soldiers that stayed with us for 5-days. In Israel everyone is required to go into the army at age 18. This was so surreal for us because all of the soldiers are our age but fighting for their country instead of going to college. All of the soldiers were awesome and so similar to us. That same day we did an underground water tunnel hike. This was extremely scary because our tour guide would not allow us to use flashlights. This hike was in the complete darkness in an underground tunnel where the water reached as high as our thighs. This experience made all of us on the trip much closer and bonded our friendship. The last day of the trip we ended in Tel Aviv, this city was a lot of great shopping and beaches. I advise anyone who ever has the opportunity to see Israel to definitely go! I know that this is an experience I will cherish for a lifetime.


Love,


Rachel Levine

Rachel at the Western Wall

Rachel on a sunrise hike of Masada

Rachel's view overlooking Jerusalem 

Anna Beth's Dream

When I was four years old, I told my parents I was going to be a doctor. When I was in 6th grade, I did a project on the antigenic inheritance of blood types. In 2011, I became the first person in my immediate family to attend college, and this year I was accepted into the Junior Honors Medical Program at the University of Florida. It's a been a long road, but I have never stopped being obsessed with medicine.

When I came to UF, I immediately joined two organizations: Chi Omega and UF Pre-Med AMSA. Both groups of people have had a great influence on my life these last two years. In Chi Omega, I found my support group, the people I could spend hours on the couches with and talk about life. In AMSA, I found tons of people just like me, sharing the same interests and obsessing (commiserating really) over the same classes. All of these dynamic relationships made and helped me mature into the person that will hopefully make a caring physician.

Over the next year, my third and final year as an undergrad at UF, I will be taking a couple classes, writing a thesis, and most importantly, soaking it all in. I can't wait to see what the year holds, with my sisters, my friends, and my own development. I look forward to football games and Physical Diagnosis seminars, and really enjoying the campus that I have just committed the next five years of my life to. I'm thankful for all the opportunities UF and its people have given me, and I look forward to the future it's preparing me for.

- Anna Beth West

Anna Beth in Thailand on a UF College of Medicine Trip    

Anna Beth is the Vice President of Pre-Med AMSA at UF    

Anna Beth supports Chi O by playing on the intramural volleyball team    

Anna Beth in Thailand on a UF College of Medicine Trip    

Anna Beth eating a cricket at the local market in Thailand on a UF College of Medicine Trip