Thoughts on Visiting my Alma Mater for Homecoming Weekend

This past weekend, I took a trip down memory lane and posted ALL about it on my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!) by visiting my alma mater Meredith College for its Homecoming Weekend known as Cornhuskin’. Growing up in high school, I lived for Homecoming weekend – the football game, the dance, the shopping for the dance, and the friends. However, when I got to college, I attended an all-women’s institution which meant that our Homecoming Tradition – our always loved Cornhuskin’ – would look A WHOLE LOT different than it did for me during my high school years or for that matter most other college’s. Indeed, one of my favorite parts of this Fall season was getting to visit and experience Cornhuskin’ as an alum of Meredith College.

Cornhuskin’ at Meredith College is our Homecoming tradition, since we are proudly undefeated in football/have no football team – LOL! We also have shirts to prove our undefeated pride in football, too. Cornhuskin’ is pretty much a class competition – the Freshmen, Sophomores, Juniors, and Seniors ALL compete against one another – via dances, skit, can art, Hog Callin’, Tall Tales, sweatshirt design, t-shirt design, prop design, on-campus spirit (to win a spirit stick – my class won twice) and much more!! – for bragging rights and the right of winning this most prized tradition. Everything within the class competition revolves around a theme that is then tied into the amazing Meredith College sisterhood given the year of college and ongoings that come with it – my Sophomore year our theme with based on Hercules and the strong sisterhood and we wore togas to dance and throughout our skit. It seriously is very Corny but seriously one of the best ways to spread joy and bond with classmates of all years.

Unlike in high school, Cornhuskin’ is a mega Meredith College community effort that takes effort from practically everyone in the community for months. Although a totally optional activity for all students, many many many of the Meredith College classmates of mine would participate, since it was a great opportunity to bond with classmates. We would start Cornhuskin’ practices in September where we would dance, rehearse skits, paint signs, and make up rhymes in the on-campus parking lots from 9pm until 1am sometimes. The next morning, we would get up and do it all again along with the hustle of classes, committees, jobs, and everything else in between. It was stressful to say the least. And, in fact, my Sophomore year of college, I felt VERY lonely as my friends from Freshmen year had transferred to other schools/drama had happened with those who stayed that I almost considered not participating due to the stress and feeling lonely. BUT, in the very end, I am super proud of myself for taking that leap and doing Cornhuskin’ and so so so happy that I did. The blood, sweat, and tears put into making Cornhuskin’ happen by all within the Meredith College student body made it soooooo worth it in the end when we would perform in the amphitheater at night in front of our family, friends, faculty, staff, classmates, alumnae, and community members.

Due to COVID-19, I did not get a Senior year Cornhuskin’. Meredith College staff did a GREAT job at attempting to give us an as-typical experience as possible, despite nothing looking the same during the 2020-2021 timeframe anyways. Though, in the end, it was sad that we in the Class of 2021 didn’t get a Senior Cornhuskin’ along with the classes of 2022, 2023, and 2024 behind us in their respective years. My friends and I in the Class of 2021 definitely felt some remorse towards that fact that we didn’t get a Senior Cornhuskin’ coming back to Cornhuskin’ this past weekend. COVID-19 took a lot from all of us, and I think it is important that we ALL acknowledge that everyone lost a lot from it and that it isn’t easy at times either. It’s HARD! Loss is hard and there is a major component of COVID-19 that we don’t talk about much: grief. Grief comes in many forms, but the occurrence of my beloved Cornhuskin’ my Senior year of college was hard to lose and it is something that I am still processing and miss all the time. Personally, I wish I got to experience it as a student and get Corny one last time with all of my classmates by my side.

On the flip side, I am SUPER grateful for the Meredith College sisters and classmates of mine that I do have to this day right in my corner. I got to both reconnect and bond with so many of my classmates some of which that I haven’t seen since I graduated or since before COVID-19 times. It was truly a blessing to see Hannah, Alanna, Kearra, Aspen, Jane, Lexie, Laurie, Sarah, Caroline, Cassie, Chandler, Faith, Aly, Kiran, Meredith, Bailey, Jasmine, and my Lil/Grand Lil’s Lelia, Madelyne, and Jordan and many more. I also got to bring my Papa and dog Rosie along to experience it all with me. Rosie dressed as Corny Corn and wore her pineapple Halloween costume from last year in the parade (we got to walk in it as Alumnae with other fellows alums!). We spent hours, after the main events of the class competition, talking in the parking lot just like the good old days of Cornhuskin’. SO many memories were made. I felt apart of the Meredith College community yet again after gaining my Meredith Angel wings and flying off to Washington, DC for my post-graduate life. Currently, I am still struggling to find my way in the Washington, DC area, but knowing that I have SO many fellow Meredith College Angels in my corner is such a sweet feeling and makes me know that I WILL find my way in my new city just like I did at Meredith.

Meredith College prides on its slogan of “Going Strong”. We Meredith College Angels, through it all, are strong – we have gone through tough things and we will do it again. Cornhuskin’ as a student was tough at times – the late nights practicing and then even later nights studying, the long days of classes, committees, and work, the stride to maintain a clean apartment and eat three meals a day, and everything else in between – is not easy for anyone to strive for. BUT, at the end of it all, as fatigued as we were, we loved every minute of our time well spent via Cornhuskin’ and our hearts were filled with gratitude and many many special memories made along the way. We truly were and are still continuing to be going strong the Meredith way, NO MATTER how Corny we may be at times!

XOXO – Katie <3

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The Book Shelf that Honors my Alma Mater

If you know me, then you know that I LOVE making my home a happy place! Recently, on my Instagram (follow me @_thepinkchickadee!), I shared my Lilly Pulitzer Gallery Wall – my most recent home decoration endeavor to be shared before today. My Freshmen and Sophomore college dorms were so bright and such a happy place of mine that it brought joy to others, too. A fun fact about my Freshmen year college dorm was that it became one of the big stops of my classmates’ tours when trying to find the cutest dorms in our class. It was, indeed, a fun time! And, well, my happy place home has extended well into my post-graduation years.

Recently, when I redid my Lilly Pulitzer Gallery Wall, I ALSO redid a sweet corner of my office space/end of the Lilly Pulitzer Gallery Wall that honors none other than my college alma mater of Meredith College. Before my Lilly Pulitzer Gallery Wall took shape, I had a HUGE gallery filled with photos of my alma mater Meredith College. Ranging from paintings and prints of Meredith College to awards that I received while in school, EVERYTHING seemed to be ALL-things related to Meredith College. However, it was a bit to much for what I wanted the gallery wall to be moving forward (hence, why I switched it up!). Read more about my Lilly Pulitzer Gallery Wall here: https://pinkchickadee.com/2022/05/22/my-lilly-pulitzer-gallery-wall/

One of my favorite memories and blogger collaborations back when I was in college was with Mapiful, where I got to create and customize my own map. Mapiful is a poster and map poster customization shop that creates GORGEOUS maps to commemorate special places to each of us. That map to me *HAD* to be of Meredith College! It was a super special collaboration of mine, as I got to honor my sweet Meredith College and the friendships, community, and relationships all established while I was in school there. So, my Mapiful framed poster had to be apart of this sweet sweet corner! Shop Mapiful designs and customizations here: https://www.mapiful.com/us/

Another special memory made in college was during my study abroad adventures in San Ignacio, Belize. San Ignacio is located within the rainforest region of Cayo, Belize. One of the most unique things about Belize is the several local and ultra-talented artisans in the area. One of these artisans hand-designs metal Meredith College Lux’s (Meredith College’s logo you can say!) that are absolutely STUNNING. It is a one of a kind piece which sits on a wooden maroon easel in that sweet sweet corner.

A favorite part of this sweet sweet corner of mine is my clear glass clock. That clear glass clock is engraved with my name, as its my award given to me by Meredith College’s Math & Computer Science Department known as the Charles A. Davis Award for Outstanding Seniors in Math & Computer Science. I have so many memories from my Math & Computer Science department at Meredith College, from both my classmates who became friends, professors who became strong connections in my professional network and friends too, and my community. Essentially, the Math & Computer Science department became my academic home at Meredith College. So, to be awarded for my dedication to the Math & Computer Science department by my fellow professors was an extreme honor and is super special to me.

This sweet sweet sweet corner of my apartment is a place to honor my college memories, achievements, and community. It’s a place that I look over at and smile from ear to ear. Because, wherever I go in life, I always have my sweet memories made at Meredith College to take with me!

XOXO – Katie <3

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My First Time Visiting My College Campus as an Alum

They always say: “when one door closes, another one opens.” On occasion, we revisit former chapters of our lives. It can be great, not so great, or a little bit of both when we do look back at our former times in life. For me, one of the best times of my life was being a college student at Meredith College – an all-women’s college down in Raleigh, North Carolina. And, last weekend, I was very lucky to be able to make a visit down to Meredith College to see campus for the very very very first time since I graduated. Although I was very happy to be back on campus, I am also happy to be beyond my college years *believe it or not*.

To us Meredith students and alums, Meredith College is known to us dearly as “Wonderland.” It is for good reason, too. Like myself, Meredith College is the wonderland where our best memories ever have taken place. There is something so special to my Meredith College sisters and I about our times at Meredith, however long they were for us.

My years at Meredith College, like I said, were some of the best of my life. At Meredith, I served as a student leader within my class and organizations school wide (you can see a list of all of the things that I was involved in in this blog post here), pursued a Mathematics degree with minors in Data Science, Statistics, and Website Development within the BEST Mathematics and Computer Science Department EVER (you can also read about all of the college classes that I took here), and met some of my best friends and now Meredith College sisters along the way. The memories that I made are memories that will last a lifetime and am eternally grateful that I was able to make, despite all of the things that occurred during my college years most notably being COVID-19. Through it all, Meredith College is the home of many of my most special memories. Truly, a Wonderland and my Wonderland these past four years and the several more years to come!

Over the course of my first few months in the post-graduation world I have learned to adapt and move beyond my college years. Looking back in my last few weeks of my undergraduate days, I was extremely drained from it all. I lived for the college life hustle and bustle – exams, homework assignments, long late study sessions, projects, and meetings around the clock. Not to mention, all of the gossip and toxicity – yes, the less-talked about things that are the prime center of any women’s college experience – that occurs, too. While gossip and toxicity occurs EVERYWHERE, at a women’s college, it takes on a different feel that at a coed school, such as my high school. When I graduated from Meredith College, I was drained and tired and ready for something new. Even though it is tough at times transitioning into the post-college way of life, it has shaped me into the woman that I am today and will shape me into the woman that I am to become moving forward. Although I proudly consider Meredith College to be a Wonderland, my sweet and beloved Wonderland is not perfect and neither are we as humans either.

When I stepped foot on Meredith’s campus, I was happy to be there. Meredith College recently filled its trademark Meredith Lake on campus that remained dry for decades before, including when I was a student there. However, I was also relieved to not be a student anymore. I was relieved that I could visit this chapter of my life again and again but not actually re-enter it. I could remember and reminisce about my sweet sweet sweet Wonderland as beautiful as it is, despite my current stage of life as a post-grad.

Whatever life may bring me, I know that Meredith College will always be there for me to step foot on as the most magical Wonderland that I know it to be.

XOXO – Katie <3

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How I Got Involved in College

Getting involved is a GREAT way to stay in the know and connected to others when in college! Throughout my four years at Meredith College, I got involved in a ton of different ways (you read more about them here). As a recent college grad, I definitely have experienced the in’s and out’s of getting involved at college and staying connected throughout your four years (or more or less) of college, even with COVID-19 (I also wrote a guide on that, too – read it here!). There are a variety of ways that one can get connected within their college campus, which I am happily here to share!

How To: Get Involved at College

  1. Attend club fairs – colleges have a variety of different organizations. Club fairs are an opportunity to go learn more about all of the clubs and organizations that you can get involved in on your campus. You can easily acquire a lot of information on several different organizations. Most of these organizations also have opportunities for you to connect with them such as signing up for email lists, connecting on social media, etc. The best part?! You get to learn about them all all at once!
  2. Facebook Groups and other social media pages – the majority of colleges have Facebook Groups of sorts. I know that Meredith College has a Facebook Group for each class which is an excellent way to meet all accepted students and students who eventually will become official members of your college class. Not only can you meet potential roommates and suite mates from these groups, but you can also connect with folks in various other ways. Meredith is a much smaller college than others, so, personally, I am not as aware of if other colleges have other Facebook Groups beyond theirs classes. But, whatever your school does have, TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THEM!!!
  3. Introduce yourself to a friendly face – whether in in the classroom, dining hall, or around campus, if you see a friendly face then introduce yourself! Bit the bullet and create ties with someone new. For instance, in the classroom, it is always super nice to have study buddies. As you dig into your major-related classes, it is super great to have created bonds with those within your major and major-related classes. Some of the best bonds that I have created are with those from within my major and truly connected with them. My fellow Math major friends and I would get together every so often and have dinners together along with attending events on-campus. Moreover, you can also connect and get involved with folks in your academic area of interest, too, in college events, clubs, and much more!
  4. Attend club/organization functions of your interest – attending a club’s/organization’s meetings is an excellent way to meet others that may be on the same wavelength as yourself when it comes to that area of interest that can be offered there. Many clubs/organizations provide others with the opportunity to attend events and get involved on their campus within several ways.
  5. Know that it TAKES TIME – one of the things that I needed to realize but didn’t right away is that your involvement and friendships in college do not come to you right away. Trust me, it ALL TAKES TIME! Just be open to whatever comes your way and establish as many connections as you can and, trust me, it will all unfold the way it is meant to and when you least expect it.

Getting involved in college can be daunting, but it is so rewarding in the end. The relationships that you will establish could last a lifetime and some, if not many, will. The same goes for the memories that you will make, too!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Guest Write: Megan & Emily of Sundae Sisters Co!

If you haven’t seen the most adorable sister duo, then look no further than Megan and Emily! Megan and Emily co-founded their own sticker line where they sell their stickers on Etsy and locally within the Raleigh-Cary area. Megan has become one of my good friends at Meredith College, she is also my best friend Laurie’s Lil Sis through Meredith’s Big Sis/Lil Sis program! I have also learned a lot about her sister Emily who has Down syndrome and is breaking barriers everyday as a person with the disability. Today, I am letting both Megan and Emily take the wheel as I will be interviewing them about their journey with Sundae Sisters Co, life as sisters, and future aspirations for their business.

Tell me a bit about yourselves!

We are Sundae Sisters Co! I (Megan) had the idea to change my old Etsy shop to better include Emily. With Covid, she did not get as much work experience through her school and was also having trouble finding a job. Individuals with special needs are already severely un-employed, but adding a global pandemic on top did not help. So I started designing stickers and Emily does all of the packaging. We started around Mid-May and have sold over 250 stickers!

Megan, I know you are currently in college. What school do you attend and what are you studying?

I am a rising Sophomore at Meredith College in Raleigh,NC and I am studying Child Development in hopes of becoming a teacher.

Emily, I know you recently just graduated from high school – congrats! What are your next steps?

I will continue packaging for Sundae Sisters Co, which I love doing. I check everyday to see if I have new orders to package. I was also recently hired as a volunteer for Esteamed Coffee in Downtown Cary,NC! I will start training this summer. I also love participating in Gigi’s Playhouse Raleigh programs such as yoga, ballet, and social skills. I am also on a competitive cheer team at Inspire Athletics, we are called the Superstars.

Share a fun fact about each of y’all!

We share this fact because we are both huge Disney fans! If you ever are going to Disney World or Disneyland, contact us for tips! Megan’s favorite rides are Everest and Flight of Passage. Emily’s favorite rides are Seven Dwarfs Mine Train and Flight of Passage.

Tell me a bit about Sundae Sisters Co and the mission behind it!

Our mission is to spread happiness and kindness to others through our designs while also showing the importance of employing individuals with special needs. Many businesses don’t employ people with special needs because they don’t see all or their abilities, so we want to show people that they are valuable employees.

What made y’all choose to start Sundae Sisters Co?

I (Megan) have always loved being crafty. I already had an Etsy shop but kind of sold very random things. I also knew Emily was graduating soon and with Covid, she was going to have trouble finding a job. So I rebranded my Etsy to better include her with something she could easily ship, but also something I love to sell! It’s a win-win for both of us because we both have an outlet we enjoy within the business.

So, tell me about y’all’s design process – how do y’all brainstorm your super fun and adorable designs?!

 We get a lot of requests which we love getting, please send them in! We also get lots of inspiration from social media and pictures we take. We love taking pictures of plants and different landmarks.

Speaking of designs, please tell me both of your favorite designs!!!

Megan’s favorite design right now is the Retro Van Sticker because she loves the colors! Emily loves the Lucky Few sticker which is a symbol for Down Syndrome!

Stickers from the Vaccinated Line releasing this Tuesday July 13
Stickers from the Collegiate Line releasing on July 27

I know you both work together as a team to execute both designing and sending off stickers to their new homes. How do y’all make the magic happen?!

Megan handles designing the stickers, printing (which we do in house), listing each item, and keeping everything organized. Emily is in charge of all shipping which includes writing each thank you note by hand, gathering the stickers for each order, packaging, weighing, adding the stamp, and putting it in the mailbox! She also will sometimes prep things like envelopes or supplies for our vendor events.

You both have visited local farmers markets, such as in Cary, to showcase your business. Do y’all have any dream markets that y’all want to showcase at?

There are lots of different markets in the Triangle, it’s overwhelming sometimes. We loved being at Food and Flea in Downtown Cary in June, we hope to be back a few more times this fall just in time for the holidays! We would also love to have our stickers sold in local stores in boutiques, that is something we are working on now!

Megan & Emily selling stickers at Food and Flea in Cary, North Carolina

I LOVE LOVE LOVE that y’all donate some of your profits to a different charity each month. Giving back is SO important. How does charity play a role in Sundae Sisters Co’s mission?

So many charities have benefited our family, such as North Carolina Down Syndrome Alliance, Gigi’s Playhouse Raleigh, Miracle League, Esteemed Coffee and more! We think it is so important to give back to the community as they have given to us. We are trying to donate every month as well as have a sticker that donates profits to a specific charity each month.

I am so inspired by y’all’s business! What would y’all say to someone who is looking to start their own business someday?

 Just go for it! Take it slow and don’t over-invest so you don’t get in over your head. Then re-invest the money you make or a portion of it back into your business to help it grow.

Y’all are both strong advocates for inclusion and acceptance of everybody. Tell me about your experiences as advocates!

I think our parents have always instilled in us that it is important to fight for what is right and to be inclusive of everyone, no matter their walk of life. Everyone is different and that is what makes us unique individuals. Being apart of the disability community is fun and exciting, but it can also open doors to show the hard parts of having a disability. This has made us want to fight even more to share the message that everyone should be included and given the same opportunities. For example, I (Megan) was inspired by NC State’s Victory Day game that they did with Gigi’s Playhouse. It was an inclusive night where individuals with  Down Syndrome got to experience practice and a game of football with the NC State Football team. So, I created my own version of that at my High School. Inclusion events like these become a ripple effect to show others that individuals with special needs are just like everyone else, they just want to have fun and make friends!

What is in the oh-so exciting future of Sundae Sisters Co?

Well, we hope to get lots more orders. Just these past few weeks, our orders have quadrupled. We would love to do more markets and maybe have a few more friends with special needs help us. If we grow even more, we would love to have others help us with packaging so they can learn work skills too. We would also love to have our stickers available in stores, this way we could get our designs and mission out to a larger community!

Lastly, if you each could tell yourself one thing before you started Sundae Sisters Co, then what would it be?

I think we both would never have imagined it being as successful as we have been in our first month of being open. We are so thankful to each and every person who has supported us; whether it was just a like, comment, sharing us on social media, placing an order or visiting us at a market.

I cannot wait to see ALL that Megan and Emily do moving forward and I hope you do, too!

XOXO – Katie <3

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I Planned an Event During COVID-19

COVID-19 has transformed the ways that events are held. Unfortunately, my Senior year social calendar was taken over by Zoom. At the same time though, I got to enjoy some in-person events, including one event that I got to plan myself with some of my Meredith friends and Tri-Chairs Maggie and Miranda. The event was socially distanced and followed all of the safety measures put in place, in order to protect ourselves from COVID-19. Through it all, getting to plan an event during the pandemic was such a bittersweet and fun experience.

Meredith College is notorious for their Traditions also known as events that are put on each year for with specific one’s for each class based on their year. The Tradition that I got to help plan was Class Day. Class Day is a Tradition held for Sophomores and Seniors each year where the Sophomore Class honors the Senior Class who is their Big Sis class on graduating and reflecting on their four years at Meredith. The Sophomore (Lil Sis Class) creates a daisy chain in the shape of the numerals of their graduating Big Sis Class. It is such a sentimental event for both classes and it was super fun to plan!

In terms of COVID-19, Class Day obviously looked a bit different. Usually, Class Day is held in the courtyard at Meredith; however, due to COVID-19, my Tri-Chairs and I decided to hold it in our amphitheater, in order to accommodate more people who maintaining a social distance. Usually, the daisy chain is presented in the form of a processional, instead, we had the Lil’s procession out themselves without the daisy chain. And, obviously, everyone was seated 6 feet apart and no guests were allowed. Lastly, we held the event at 3 different time slots, which people could sign up for via SignUp Genius. The time slots were much shorter than the traditional 1-2 hour long event as they were 30 minutes each and everyone had to leave right after the event. Although Class Day did not look the way that it had in years past, my Tri-Chairs and I still made it look very beautiful and made it special for our classmates and ourselves.

In a typical year, most Class Day meetings are held in-person. This year, they were held over Zoom. After having an entire year of Zoom meetings, I still found them to be just as productive as in-person meetings if not even more. I was able to better multitask on Zoom than in-person and be able to snack better rather than not being able to while wearing a mask. It was also nice because I could meet from wherever, too!

My main duty for Class Day was to coordinate the fundraiser. As the Class of 2021 Fundraising Chair, I had coordinated several fundraisers throughout this past year before and knew how to successfully execute one yet again. Since the Class of 2020 and Class of 2022 missed out on their Class Day fundraiser due to the pandemic last year, I decided to hold the Class Day fundraiser to include the Classes of 2020, 2021, 2022, and 2023. I had a friend of mine in my Lil Sis Class (Class of 2023) share with me an amazing shirt design in February that my Tri-Chairs and I loved it so much that we decided to use it. In the past, we have sold and designed a Class Day towel to sell as the Sophomores carry out the daisy chain. But, since the daisy chain could not be safely carried out with social distancing considered, we decided to sell a mask instead. One of my Tri-Chairs also made a mask design with a daisy on it. So, we sold both a mask and a shirt.

Throughout the entire planning process, there were many meetings, emails, and times to even meet up in-person. I cannot tell you how many email chains I have been apart of in the past 6 weeks! Some of the email chains were super fun to read, too. Although we had to make several changes to Class Day this year as compared to years past, it was still a super special event and I am glad I got to be apart of planning it. Moreover, there were many changes that my Tri-Chairs and I actually enjoyed that the staff members who advise the planning process with us all liked and want to keep as apart of Class Day moving forward. It was great to be able to make some changes that are going to be in place for years to come.

Overall, I am oh so blessed that I was able to be apart of planning an amazing Tradition, such as Class Day. Class Day is a bittersweet event for both the Sophomore and Senior classes. I was happy I could be a major part of making it happen, even during COVID-19!

XOXO – Katie <3

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A List of ALL the Things that I was Involved in at Meredith College

As my good friend Hannah and I would say to one another, overcommitment at its finest! If I have not done it, then I don’t know what I didn’t do back in college. I most definitely overcommitted to all of the activities and methods of involvement on my college campus. The ways that I have been a leader and did different activities was most definitely one for the books. Since graduating college this past weekend, it has been nice to be able to reflect on my four years at the amazing Meredith College. Today, I am sharing all of the things that I was involved in on Meredith’s campus.

Freshmen Year

Planning my first-ever Meredith event – a painting party social!
  • Big Sis/Little Sister Co-Chair – in this position, I served with a friend of mine as the co-chair for Meredith’s Big Sister/Little Sister program. The Big Sister/Little Sister program at Meredith pairs every Freshmen (Little Sis) with a Junior (Big Sis) and it is such an exciting an amazing asset of my college. In this role, I coordinated a fundraiser for a Meredith Lux tote bag and a Big/Lil Social painting party called Cupcakes & Canvases with my Big Sis class – the Class of 2019. It was all super fun and such a great way to kick off my Freshmen year!
  • Honors Program Scholar’s Weekend Coordinator – Scholar’s Weekend is hosted every February at Meredith College. It is a weekend for accepted students to interview for academic-specific programs like the Honors Program, Teaching Fellows (for aspiring teachers), Art, Music, Interior Design, etc. I had such an amazing time with my experience at Scholar’s Weekend that I decided to coordinate it myself to help host and welcome the Class of 2022!
  • Fire & Water Committee Class of 2019 Liaison – Fire & Water is the first-ever Freshmen-only Tradition (event) that occurs every Spring. At this event, everyone burns a bad memory and floats a good memory and there is a dinner to commemorate all of us surviving and making it through our Freshmen year of college. I got to attend weekly committee meetings which was super fun and help make decisions for this event with other committee members. My specific role was to coordinate my Big Sis Class of 2019 in coming to “surprise” our class at the end of the event. Serving on this committee was one of my favorite things to do during my Freshmen year, especially getting to help set up and clean up the event with jumping into Meredith’s fountain at the end of it all!
  • Alpha Lambda Delta Honor Society member – My Freshmen year I got to join the Alpha Lambda Delta Freshmen year Honor Society.
  • Honors Program Fall Trip Planning Committee Member – The Honors Program which I was apart of all four years at Meredith has a weekend Fall Trip to a Southern East Coast city. My Freshmen year, I got to plan the Honors Fall Trip 2018 to Washington, DC one of my hometowns. The Dean of the Honors Program helped us plan it all and he loved getting to have my expertise on the committee. It was also fun to be able to meet others from all other years at Meredith on that committee!
Pre-Scholar’s Weekend photo to welcome in the Class of 2022!
Cupcakes & Canvases paintings with my Big Sis Stephanie!
The whole Fire & Water committee post-event!
The Big Sis “surprise” was successfully planned! My friend Cassie & I enjoying some flowers from our Big’s to celebrate.
My Big Sis Stephanie and I at Fire & Water!
The best part of Fire & Water – jumping into the fountain with my good friend Lexie!!!
The Washington, DC trip my Sophomore year was successfully planned. Here, my good friend Kaylee and I are on an illuminated monuments tour along the National Mall.

Sophomore Year

The Honor Code Ceremony – a big event to end Freshmen orientation. I got to experience it yet again as a Freshmen Student Adviser.
  • Big Sis/Little Sister Co-Chair – I was happily able to serve as the Big Sister/Little Sister Co-Chair *again* for my Sophomore year of college! While I did not do too much more than my Freshmen year the next year in this role, I got to help coordinate and sell shirts and fundraiser items for my fellow classmates who also served in Class of 2021 officer positions – something that I really loved doing!
  • Honors Program Scholar’s Weekend Coordinator – After successfully coordinating Scholar’s Weekend my Freshmen year, I got the opportunity to coordinate it again, but this time with my two good friends Kaylee and Lexie and this time welcoming in our Little Sis class – the Class of 2023! It was a super special and fun weekend for me, Kaylee, and Lexie.
  • Alpha Lamda Delta Honor Society Induction Ceremony Co-Chair – this role was my first of many serving on an Executive Board for an on-campus organization. I got to plan and serve as the Co-Chair for the Alpha Lambda Delta Induction Ceremony in April 2019. It was super fun and also the first time I ever lit a candle in Meredith’s Chapel (luckily, we all survived LOL!). At the same time, I served as an active member of Alpha Lambda Delta’s Executive Board where I got to contribute to making decisions for the organization and even help with a fundraiser!
  • Honors Program Fall Trip Planning Committee Chief Information Officer – I *yet again* served on the Honors Program, but this time as the Chief Information Officer. My good friend Kaylee served as the Committee Chair, so she nominated me to be the Chief Information Officer which was super fun! The Fall 2019 trip was to Charleston, South Carolina and it was my first-ever time going there so it was a blast and oh so exciting!
  • First Year Experience (FYE) Student Assistant – One of my favorite roles was getting to serve as a student assistant for the First Year Experience (FYE) Freshmen-only class. I assisted this course with two staff members in the Alumnae House and it was such a blast. I began connect with my two instructors (one of which was my host of all things at Scholar’s Weekend and accepted a job at Meredith as an alum). In this course, I got to help Freshmen adjust to on-campus life and tell them ALL about all of the fun things at Meredith and what makes Meredith College Meredith College.
  • Freshmen Student Adviser (SA) – Another one of my favorite roles at Meredith was getting to be a mentor to incoming Freshmen as a Freshmen Student Adviser (SA). An SA is essentially an orientation group leader for a set group of incoming Freshmen who sticks around as a friend and mentor to that same group of students throughout their entire Freshmen year.
Move-in day with all of the other Class of 2021 Freshmen Student Advisers.
Honor Code Ceremony with my advising group!
Scholar’s Weekend 2019 with Kaylee after we successfully coordinated the event!
Another successfully Honors Fall Trip 2019 to Charleston, South Carolina. Here, me and my good friends Kaylee, Hannah, and Miranda and I are on the dinner cruise on the Spirit of Charleston.
Kaylee and I showing off our Meredith Angel pride along the Charleston waterfront!

Junior Year

Freshmen Student Adviser welcome dinner!
  • Honors Program Fall Trip Planning Committee Chair – Even though COVID-19 hit at the end of my Spring 2020 semester, I still got to take charge and chair the planning for the now-cancelled Fall 2020 trip to Asheville, North Carolina. I lead the initiative to postpone the trip to the Spring 2021 semester which was sadly cancelled, too. However, I am still very grateful for the experience that I had and the opportunity to still lead.
  • Class of 2021 Elections Board Representative – I got to serve as a Class Representative for Meredith’s Elections Board, which is in charge of all of the elections for each class each year. My favorite part about this role was getting to watch everyone who ran for a class position during the 2020-2021 academic year’s campaign video to ensure that they met Meredith’s Elections Board standards.
  • Honors Program Scholar’s Day Coordinator – I served for my third and final year as a coordinator for Scholar’s Weekend which switched to a day known as Scholar’s Day in February 2020. This time around, I got to interview four candidates for the Honors Program with my fellow Math professor and Honors Committee member Dr. Andreae. I had a blast and still got to help coordinate, too!
  • Residents Housing Association (RHA) Publicity Chair – One of the highlights of my Junior year at Meredith was getting to run the social media page for the Residents Housing Association (RHA). RHA’s purpose is to connect students and ensure their safety and wellbeing in on-campus life at Meredith. I got to design graphics and flyers and advertise them, too. I also got to serve on RHA’s Executive Board and attend regular meetings to help make decisions for upcoming events, activities, and all around campus life things.
  • Canaday Math & Computer Science Club (CMCS) Events Chair – The Canaday Math & Computer Science Club (CMCS) is the organization that is student-run and connects students within my department and those interested in activities and events run by my department. As the Events Chair, I got to decorate the board for CMCS within my department’s Common Area and connect students in my department through some fun events.
  • First Year Experience (FYE) Student Assistant – This was my second year serving as a student assistant for the First Year Experience Freshmen-only course with the same ladies from the Alumnae House. This time around, my Lil’s Lelia and Addy were in my class which was super fun! I also got to send out weekly email updates and I made a guide to share with my students and others assisting the same course, in order to help Freshmen adapt and adjust to Meredith College and life in Raleigh.
  • Angels for Disability Advocacy (ADA) Vice President – My best friend Laurie is President of Angels for Disability Advocacy (ADA). This amazing organization brings about disability advocacy and awareness across campus and beyond. It was fun to be Laurie’s right hand woman and also interview other fellow officers for roles for the following year.
  • Freshmen Student Adviser (SA) – This was my second year serving as a Freshmen Student Adviser (SA). My Junior year, I got a great group of ladies who were interested in pursuing a STEM degree which was super fun and I had only 5 girls. I loved getting to show them around and have a much smaller group!
Move-in day to welcome in the Class of 2023 with my fellow Freshmen Student Advisers!
Move-in day with my good friend Chandler!
Honor Code ceremony with my advising group.
RHA training during orientation.
Post-Pancakes at 11 (an RHA-hosted event) with my fellow RHA Executive Board members and advisers.
Our final Scholar’s Day event is planned with my good friends Kaylee and Lexie.

Senior Year

Post-Class Day with my good friends Maureen, Miranda, Nat, Allison, Lexie, Sophie, Kaylee, Julia, and Chandler!
  • Class of 2021 Fundraising Chair – One of my favorite parts of this odd Senior year was getting to serve as my class’s Fundraising Chair. I planned fundraisers at a local Chick-Fil-A, three t-shirt fundraisers, and one mask fundraiser. They were all a blast to do and a great way to connect with my classmates and others across campus. I have loved receiving adorable t-shirts over the years, so it was super rewarding to be behind the scenes allowing for others to receive some t-shirts, too!
  • Residents Housing Association Publicity Chair – Just like my Junior year, I continued to run RHA’s social media pages. This time around, most of my posts were about COVID-19 safety, since this year was mostly virtual. I also had a Co-Chair which lessened my role’s work load and she was super sweet and it was super nice, too.
  • Angels for Disability Advocacy (ADA) Vice President – My best friend Laurie was and still is the President for Angels for Disability Advocacy (ADA). It was super fun to be able to work alongside her in planning some super cool and fun events for ADA (all virtual, too!). We also coordinated an adorable t-shirt fundraiser and my roommate Sophie who was the Treasurer and I planned a panel event with her Big Sis Briana, as well!
  • Canaday Math & Computer Science Club (CMCS) President – Since being CMCS’s Events Chair, I decided to move up the ladder and become the organization’s President. In this role, I was able to connect a ton of my department to one another even during these unprecedented times. I planned a virtual panel with Meredith women who are STEM alumnae that had over 80 people come to on Zoom with other STEM-oriented organizations. I, then, joined forces with those organizations again for a STEM Trivia Night in honor of Pi Day (March 14) and an informal Q&A with the Chief Information Officer of SONOS Ruth Sleeter. Throughout this entire year as the CMCS President, I have thoroughly enjoyed my role and will miss it alongside my organization’s adviser Dr. Andreae!
  • First Year Experience (FYE) Student Assistant – My final year as a First Year Experience Student Assistant! This year, I served as a Student Assistant for a tiny Honors-only seminar with my Honors Adviser. It was super fun and special for each of our girls. I also loved that I got to individualize each of the girl’s experiences in the class, in order to best help them and what they’re interested in doing while at Meredith.
  • Freshmen Student Adviser – Also my final year as a Freshmen Student Adviser! I had a group of four lovely ladies in the Honors Program, each of which I truly bonded with. It was such a special group, despite having to meet mostly on Zoom. Such a great group to wrap up my Student Advising time at Meredith, too.
  • Honors Program Spring 2022 Trip Planning Committee Chair – Since having to move the Fall 2020 trip to Asheville, North Carolina to Spring 2022, I got to do some market research on making a COVID-19 safe and friendly trip for my Honors classmates to come. At the same time, I got to be apart of the decision-making process for this trip to making it a Spring 2022 trip and handing off my role as Chair to my good friend Hannah.
  • Study Abroad Peer Ambassador – I was fortunate enough to be able to study abroad in Summer 2018 in both Tuscany, Italy and London, England and Summer 2019 in San Ignacio, Belize. So, I decided to become a Study Abroad Peer Ambassador in order to mentor other students who want to study abroad, too, and provide them with hope that we will be able to travel again and that they can despite COVID-19 slowing down our travels and especially those international adventures.
  • Honors Program T-Shirt Subcommittee Chair – Every year, the Honors Program designs and sells an Honors Program t-shirt. This year, I got to chair the subcommittee that sold and designed that shirt. This role allowed me to combine my Fundraising Chair skillset for my Class with my love for the Honors Program. It was also a blast to be able to meet with and get to know underclassmen in the Honors Program!
  • Class Day Tri-Chair – Class Day is one of the many traditions (events) at Meredith College. Class Day is an event to honor the graduating class each year and their Little Sis Class (Class of 2023) makes numerals out of ivy and daisies in the class year numerals to honor their Big Sis Class (aka my Class – Class of 2021). I got to plan this event as one of the Senior Tri-Chairs with my friends Maggie and Miranda. My major role was coordinating the Class Day Fundraiser which was a t-shirt and mask. I also got to plan a lot of other event aspects, such as speaking at the event and recruiting speakers, coordinating with my Little Sis class, and much more. This event was a blast and it was such an honor to chair a Meredith tradition, too!!!
  • Honors Committee Member At-Large – As an active member of the Honors Program, I was offered a seat on the Honors Committee as a Member at Large. It was super fun to be able to help make decisions about the Honors Program as a whole with other students and professors who are also apart of it.
Welcoming in the Class of 2024 in COVID-19-safe fashion with my friend Karli!
Post-Zoom Freshmen Student Adviser training with my good friends Miranda, Chandler, and Julia.
Serving as a Marshall for the belated Class of 2020 graduation ceremonies to get ready for Class Day with my Trip-Chairs Maggie and Miranda!
The best part of being a Class of 2020 Marshall?! Getting to see my friends from the Class of 2020 such as my Math major friend Val!
My good friend Alanna was a Class Day and graduation Marshall for my Class Day and it was so special to have her at both!!!
Post-Class Day with my amazing Tri-Chairs Miranda and Maggie!
Obligatory friend group picture after a successful Class Day with Lexie, Sophie, Kaylee, Julia, and Chandler!

It has been such a blessing to be able to serve as a leader and officer in many different ways on Meredith’s campus. While I will miss being able to serve in the capacities that I have throughout my time at Meredith, I look forward to the many ways that I will be able to contribute to the world that we live in moving forward in my post-graduation life. Here’s to many more years of overcommitment!

XOXO – Katie <3

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My Senior Photos Reveal!

It’s crazy to think that my college graduation is right around the corner!!! With college graduation approaching, I also have taken a bunch of Senior photos that I am oh so excited to FINALLY share with y’all today! I also want to give a special thanks to my good friends Hannah and Quinn for taking the time to take my graduation photos, my sweet friend Cassie of Cassie’s Designs for designing my amazing graduation cap, and my Lil Sis Addy for holding our bags while we took photos – each of y’all and many more played a strong role in providing me with a great dedication to four sweet years at Meredith College!

XOXO – Katie <3

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A List of All of the College Classes that I Took

As a soon-to-be college graduate, I decided that I would take y’all on a trip through memory lane. Today, I am rounding up all of the college courses that I took as an Honors Student with a Mathematics degree and minors in Statistics, Data Science, and Website Development. When I started at Meredith, I had NO clue what I was going to study, but here we are today. Things do work out and plans do change, but in the end you are meant to be right where you are for where you will be. Time will tell!!!

Fall 2017:

  • Honors English 111 – Pretty much the college version of introductory English. I took this class as apart of my Honors curriculum and was in an Honors-only section with others in my program. I met some of my best friends in this class. Our professor would put our writing errors on the board anonymously and everyone would critique them and we all hated it, so our bonds grew during those trying times!
  • Calculus 1 – I took this class 5 days a week and it was a four-credit hour course. My professor was a male professor who was all about women’s empowerment which was amazing. I also overslept my final in this class, but luckily my professor was super understanding with it all and I ended up successfully taking my final exam.
  • Biblical Literature – My professor brought her one-eyed Yorkie Frankie to class all the time and it was amazing. Despite not knowing much about the Bible, I did really well in this class and was willing to learn. I thought I would fail because I’m not very knowledgable on the Bible!
  • History in the 20th Century – I loved this class and my professor – she truly broke down the history and shed light on the populations that were most adversely affected in our world then and now. It was really powerful and so important to know, too.
  • First Year Experience – This was a Freshmen-only class that oriented Freshmen at Meredith with college life there and living in Raleigh. I loved this class and working and mentoring other college Freshmen that I actually assisted it my Sophomore, Junior, and Senior years!!!
  • French 3 – My high school French teacher literally taught me NOTHING, so I was shocked when I tested into French 3 in college. French 3 was the highest level of French needed for the general education requirement. I was so nervous I would be behind in that class, but my professor was so generous as everyone in the class turned out to be too.

Spring 2018:

  • English 200 – I took this class with one of my all-time favorite professors that is not in the Math & Computer Science Department: Dr. Walton. Dr. Walton is a Shakespeare expert, so we of course read some Shakespeare in class! The theme that he chose for our class throughout the semester was sisterhood and I even remember writing a paper on the Meredith College sisterhood in his class. As someone who only has a biological brother, I loved getting to embrace my sisters at Meredith. I also really enjoyed getting to know Dr. Walton, too.
  • Beginning Programming – Initially, I wanted to be a Computer Science major, but I did not do too hot in this class the first time around. So, I retook it my Junior year and my passion for website development and coding actually began to grow. It just wasn’t my Freshmen year!
  • Calculus 2 – My roommate Sophie and I actually became good friends in this class. We sat next to each other the entire semester and it was amazing. I also had a bunch of my fellow Math major friends and sisters in this class and I got to know them better in it all semester which was amazing.
  • Self Defense – This was 1/2 of my 8am classes in college. It was such a struggle to get up, despite it only being offered for the second half of the semester! The skills taught in this class were super valuable, and I wish I remembered them and think I would if it wasn’t at 8am that I learned it all.
  • Christian Thought – For my Ethics general education requirement, I took a course on applying Christian thought to societal topics in today’s world – think LGBTQ+ rights, abortion, etc. It was very interesting and empowering. It was all about social change and looking beyond out own worlds.

Summer 2018 – Italy:

  • Arts & Artifacts Italy Edition – This course was all about learning about Italian Life and Culture in Italy. We visited the towns of Anghiari, Arezzo, and Siena in Tuscany along with Florence. Pretty much the highlight of this course was learning how to navigate life in Italy independently and writing about our educational experiences.
  • Nonverbal Communication – This class was super cool to take, especially in Italy! My professor taught us some mind-blowing facts that make total sense about nonverbal communication in our world in both the United States and abroad. It is super neat to know how nonverbal communication all plays into how we live our lives wherever we live.
  • Yoga – Yoga was taught by a top blogger in Italy for Yoga who just happened to be living right by the Tuscan town that I studied abroad in. So, Meredith College brought her in to teach us all yoga. Learning the origins of yoga and doing it in Italy was such a neat experience!

Summer 2018 – England:

  • Arts & Artifacts England Edition – Like the course that I took in Italy, this course was all about life and culture in England. As apart of this course, we were required to go visit different sights all across London and in Europe. We went to go see a church service at Westminster Abbey (where Prince William and Kate Middleton got married!) which was extremely neat and we were required to visit St. Paul’s Cathedral (where Princess Diana got married!), Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre, and Windsor Castle (where Harry and Meghan got married!).
  • Shakespeare’s Theatre – This course was taught by Dr. Walton as well. In this class, we actually saw Shakespeare plays all across London and in Bath, England as well as Stratford-upon-Avon, England. It was a super fun time and getting to see Dr. Walton’s passion for Shakespeare where it all began grew mine even more.

Fall 2018:

  • The Life of Migrant Farmworkers – I took this Honors-only class as a part of my Honors curriculum. This class was taught by a Spanish professor who had a service focus and is such an awesome person, too. We learned all about the lives of migrant farmworkers in the United States and how they are extremely undervalued and undercooked in our world today.
  • Introduction to Mathematical Reasoning – This class was pretty much the gateway to theoretical math that goes over most people’s heads – including my own. I met a lot of my Math major classmates in this class that were not in my Calculus 2 class the prior semester.
  • Visual Merchandising – I took this class at the point of where I thought I would be a Fashion Merchandising and Math double major. However, that changed and that is OKAY! For this class, I got to create store displays with my friend Briana at two stores in a nearby shopping center and model clothing for a fashion show put on by my classmates and I in this course.
  • Calculus 3 – This class is where I learned about 3-D graphs which was interesting. It was pretty much calculus on steroids, but all super interesting.

Spring 2019:

  • Linear Algebra – This class was all about matrices and taught by my now Academic Advisor who then helped me to declare my major. In this class is where I learned my true potential as a Math major!
  • Math Seminar – Math seminar was pretty much a course about careers in Mathematics for Math majors. I recall feeling so nervous, as I had no idea what I wanted to do or if I even wanted to stick out with a Math degree. However, my friends helped me realize that I could and that I belonged when I didn’t think I did.
  • Introduction to Statistics for Math Majors – Yes, my school offered a Math majors-only Statistics lecture. This course is where I met my Thesis Advisor and started to collaborate with him on Honors projects. My passion for statistics and analytics also grew from this course!
  • Principles of Sociology – I took this class with my friend Lexie as a part of our General Education requirement. It was an interesting course to say the least. However, I think I drove my professor crazy with my obsession with weddings whenever she brought up how she didn’t like them!
  • Environmental Policy – I took this class simply for fun! In here, I got to learn all about environmental policy within the political world and how every United States President has done when it came to their environmental policy. I also did a project on corn in this class, so that was fun too.
  • Principles of Marketing – I LOVED this class! My passions for business and marketing only grew when taking this course. I loved it because I learned all about people and their desires and what drives them when purchasing products as consumers. I almost declared a Marketing minor, but I did not have the room too.

Summer 2019 – Belize:

  • Arts & Artifacts Belize Edition – Like in Italy and England, this class was all about Belize. We visited the Belize Zoo, Lamanai Mayan Ruins, and the Barton Creek Cave. A big emphasis of the course was helping to volunteer at a local school. There was also a strong emphasis placed on the history of Belize and how its history shaped it into the nation that it is today.
  • Research – Yes, I did my first-ever research project in Belize. I interviewed 6-8 teachers in Belize on teaching students with disabilities, in order to gain insight into special education in the rainforest region of Cayo that I was living and studying abroad in. It was really insightful and impactful!

Fall 2019:

  • Abstract Algebra – This is one of the most challenging math courses offered. Little did I know, I would actually enjoy Abstract Algebra. Luckily, I also had many of my fellow Math major friends in that class, too.
  • Probability & Statistics – As apart of my Statistics minor, I took this course to learn more about probability within statistics.
  • Advertising and Sales Promotion – When I was thinking I could still acquire a Marketing minor, I took this course. It was all about advertising products and ignited my passion for consumer insight surveys – hence why I do annual reader surveys here on The Pink Chickadee.
  • Pilates – Yes, I took Pilates with my good friend Hannah. It was super fun and relaxing since we both had extremely stressful semesters. I can never forget when Hannah and I had to each “instruct” the class on a Pilates exercise and we couldn’t stop laughing at each other the entire time!
  • Beginning Programming – This was the semester that I retook Beginning Programming in Java and feel in love with programming!

Spring 2020:

  • Object Oriented Programming – This class was the 2nd level of Beginning Programming. It was challenging but also really cool!
  • Introduction to Data Analysis – After wanting to go into data analytics for quite some time, I was extremely excited when my academic advisor told me that our department would be offering a class in it! We learned JMP software which was fun. My class had only five of us in it which allowed for a unique bond between us all as we were the guinea pigs. My passion for the subject of data analytics only grew from here. Hence, my minor in Data Science!
  • Introduction to Biology – I had to take Biology lecture as apart of my general education and Honors requirements.
  • Biology Lab for Honors – Along with my Biology lecture, I had to take a Biology Lab which was specifically for Honors students and only for Honors students.
  • Bayesian Statistics – This course was a special topics in statistics course that I took for my minor in Statistics. It was super cool as I got to learn an entire world of probability that isn’t really taught in the introductory level Statistics courses. It was also taught by my Thesis Advisor!
  • Mathematical Modeling – I loved this class! I got to learn MATLAB and create some really cool mathematical models to predict future trends and data. We created math models in a variety of disciplines, including event planning. My favorite part was getting to create a math model on the product life cycle of Jack Rogers sandals for my final project.
  • Databases – This was my 2/2 8am classes here at Meredith. It was a 1 credit class that met for 3 weeks and I learned how to create and use databases in Microsoft Access. A lot of my friends were in there, which made it super fun!

Summer 2020:

  • Introduction to Website Development – This class is where I learned how to code in HTML and CSS. It also grew my passion for website development and thus allowed me to declare my third minor in Website Development. I also used the skills that I learned in this class to code this amazing site that you are on now!

Fall 2020:

  • Website Design and Databases – This is the second level of Introduction to Website Development. I got to learn JavaScript, JQuery, PHP, and SQL. My passion for website development only grew more from there!
  • Statistics 2 – Pretty much the second level of Statistics 1. It was pretty basic but also fun because I got to analyze data on this site for my final project.
  • Principles of Data Science – The second level of Introduction to Data Analysis. I got to learn R in this class and fell head over heels for R and its uses. Only 2 of my 4 classmates were in this class with me and our bonds grew a ton that semester. It was a really fun and special class that was also filled with a ton off empowerment!
  • Honors Thesis in Mathematics – I also started my Honors Thesis this semester which was amazing. I have been working alongside my Thesis Advisor all year long. In the Fall, I learned how to use Python and learned about different time series forecasting and machine learning models.
  • Career Development – This was a 1-credit course taught by two lovely ladies in the Office of Career Planning here at Meredith. It was all about female empowerment when it came to searching for a job and deciding what to do in your post-graduate life. It was a class that was for ME and my development which was refreshing.
  • Fitness Fusion – I took this online fitness course and did workouts in Yoga, Strength Training, Cardio Dance, and something else that I forget LOL!

Spring 2021:

  • Honors Thesis in Mathematics – This Spring semester, I wrapped up my Honors Thesis. In the Math Department, Honors Theses take a year to complete so I was right on track. This semester, I applied concepts learned the past Fall 2020 semester and wrote it all up in the form of a paper and presented it all too. It has been incredible to watch it all come together!
  • Discrete Mathematics – I am taking this class for my Website Development minor and it is pretty much an introduction to theoretical math for Computer Science majors.
  • History of Pandemics – This course is an Honors-only section on the history of pandemics in our world. Terrifyingly enough, there have been pandemics which have occurred once every century since at least the 1600’s. It is such an eye-opening class and an important reminder.
  • Website Development Special Study – Currently, I am working alongside my website development professor to create my own site using the concepts that I learned in my other website development courses and more. It has been super cool!
  • Regression – This is the final class that I have with my Thesis advisor. I have had him for every semester since Spring 2019 and my Thesis, too. It’s bittersweet! In this class, we are using R which I love and learning ALL about regression which is a super fun topic.
  • Public Speaking – The theme of this class is female empowerment and let me tell y’all it is AMAZING! My professor is all about uplifting everyone and her energy is truly contagious. It’s been such a beautiful class and a great final in-person undergraduate class to have!!!

Honestly, going through all of my college courses definitely brought back ALL the feels. It was also super fun to take a walk through memory lane, too. So many memories come from inside the classroom, believe it or not!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Interview with Female Solo Traveller Abi!

As women, it can be intimidating to travel especially alone. Independently traveling is daunting – national and international, alike. However, as women, international travel can be done on our own. Case in point, I am sharing a bit of my classmate, fellow woman in STEm, and good friend Abi’s experiences as a solo budget-friendly traveler. Abi is one of the most adventurous and sweetest people that I have met. Her travels have inspired me and I hope they inspire you too!

Tell me a little bit about yourself!

I am honestly never sure how to answer this question. My name is Abi. I am 21 years old and an avid solo traveler. I am a double major in Spanish and Computer Science at Meredith College where I am currently  finishing up my Sophomore year. I am from a tiny mountain town in Colorado and I like to call myself an  adventurer.

I know you are both a Computer Science and Spanish major at Meredith College. What made you choose two such different majors?

Well my reason for choosing each of my majors is drastically different. In high school I took AP Computer Science and I fell in love with coding. I knew almost instantly that I wanted to find a way to continue learning to code during my time in college. I really like the way coding makes you think, and it has always come easy to me. 

Spanish on the other hand I have never been very good at, but in my home town there is a large population of native Spanish speakers. During my Junior year I was recruited to help with the ELL(ESL) program that helps students who have English as a second language succeed in school. I became fast friends with all of my tutees and they inspired me to continue with my Spanish career. I heard at one point that by 2025 about 50% of Americans will speak Spanish and I want to be on the bilingual side of that statistic. I love people and being able to help and communicate is something I strive to be able to do in all aspects of my life.

How do you plan to use both of your degrees upon graduation?

Honestly, I am still not super sure what I want to do after I graduate. I am hoping to find a job where I will have lots of opportunity to travel and meet new people. At this point I am considering becoming and app developer, and with such a large portion of the population of the USA speaking Spanish I am sure there are endless ways that it will be a wonderful skill even if not directly implemented in my job. I plan to start taking Mandarin this coming semester and if I can find the room in my schedule maybe by graduation I will speak all 3 of the global languages and be able to communicate with almost anyone on the planet.

You’re from Colorado and attend Meredith College in North Carolina, what made you choose to attend Meredith?

Lots of things lead me to Meredith. The first and foremost was the fact that private women’s colleges statistically give the most aid to high achieving students. When I was looking to apply for college after my gap year I knew that I was looking for a small university somewhere on the East coast to be closer to my extended family. I applied to a good number of schools, but Meredith offered me a position in the AWE-STEM program and that was the deciding factor of my choice in college.

What is your favorite thing to do at home in Colorado?

I am from the Rocky Mountains of Colorado and while I am not the biggest fan of skiing I love to go white water rafting. My home county holds the headwaters to the Colorado river, that cuts the Grand Canyon, and we love to raft down it. If anyone doesn’t know what white water rafting is basically you get into a boat made out of rubber and paddle/float down river rapid. It is both exciting and fun, kind of like a natural roller coaster.

What is your favorite thing to do at college in North Carolina?

I am still learning to explore North Caroline to be honest Covid has made it hard for me to find cool things to do. I really have only lived in NC for 9 months with a whole year cutting that time down the middle. When our school got closed I had 5 days to move out and nowhere to go so I moved to South Carolina with my Grandma to finish off the semester then back home to Colorado for the one after that. I am now thankfully back in NC and hoping to find fun and Covid safe activities to do here.

So share with me a little bit about what made you choose to start travelling independently?

To be honest some really awful things happened in my personal life that threw off my plan. I had originally intended to go to Hollins University in Virginia, but life got in the way and it wasn’t meant to be. So I took a year off to find myself again and figure out who I wanted to be. I first toured Europe, the first half with one of my high school friends whose family was from the Netherlands. We visited 4 different countries together and by the end of our trip to Spain I felt confident enough to travel by myself. I visited both the United Kingdom and Germany by myself before returning to the states.

You took a gap year between high school and college to travel. How did your gap year shape you into the woman that you are today?

I think if it taught me anything my gap year showed me how much kindness and love there is in the world. Wherever I went and anything I did there was always people will and wanting to support me on my adventures. The realizations about the world made me a far more confident and component individual. Solo traveling means you have to make every decision and get yourself into and out of any and all situations that may arise. It makes you really sit with yourself and discover who you are and who you want to be. I highly recommend it to everyone I meet. Most people tell me they could never do what I did but every grand journey starts with a single step and I am sure any and everyone could successfully solo travel if they set their mind to it.

Where have you travelled independently?

I have traveled to Toronto, Philadelphia, Germany, the United Kingdom, and across Japan by myself. I have also road tripped across the USA by myself on my move back to NC.

What was your favorite place that you travelled to independently?

By far the best solo travel experience I have had was the summer I spent traveling across Japan by myself. I met so many amazing people and gained an incredible amount of perspective on the world that I never could have if I hadn’t been solo traveling.

Describe an experience during your travels where you had to problem-solve on the spot!

I think the scariest personal experience I had on my first solo trip was when I was on a train up to Whales in the UK and I couldn’t figure out how to open the door. By the time I found someone to help me I had already missed my stop adn road 45 min in the wrong direction and needed to ride the 45 min back to try and catch the boat I had a ticket for. I had to call my friend who I had traveled with the first part of the trip with’s family and get them to call the company that ran the boat to tell them I was coming since the representative only spoke Dutch. I made it with the help of a nice old lady, a reckless taxi driver and a mad dash to the boat but it was terrifying.

I know that you pride on being able to travel affordably. Share with us some of your tips and tricks for saving big on travel!

There are so many great way to save but every person has their own level of comfort they wish to uphold and different priorities so the first thing I do is a little bit of research and make an excel sheet of my trip expenses. Try to save in the areas that you don’t mind slumming it a little. I am rarely if ever in my “hotel” room so I love to stay at hostels. They do require you to share a room with strangers, but my personal policy is that strangers are just friends you haven’t met yet and while solo traveling it is great to make friends to share memories of your fun adventures with. I also don’t mind being sardined in on a flight so I try to find the cheapest flight possible I once found a direct flight from Raleigh to Denver that was $15. I was sore from the uncomfortable seat when I got off the plane but cheap flights are a great way to save. I like to find a flight on google and see what company it is on then go to their website to see if I can find a better deal. Most of the time (pre-pandemic at least) the cheapest flights are Frontier or Southwest. If you are not a pick eater finding a way to make your own food while traveling is also a great way to save money. Hostels will have kitchens to use and free food events. I always take advantage of those. If you are considering going to a hostel I recommend the Hostel World website/app as a woman. It can be scary to share a room but many hostels will have women only floors that adds an extra layer of safety. Hostel World also has a great review and comparison tool so you can find the best Hostel for what and where you are looking to stay.

What are some basic ways that any ordinary person can save on travel?

You can do all the things your ordinarily do to save money while traveling. A good thing to keep in mind is that regular people live there too. How are they getting by? Don’t go to the flashy tourist restaurant, go to the grocery store and buy food there or go to where the locals go out to eat. Only spend money on things you care about. Find free walking tours and parks and cheap or free things to do in the cities you visit. ALWAYS get a public transport card. They save you so much money on cabs or rental cars. Stay in Hostel if you are comfortable. They even have private rooms sometimes or smaller rooms, or gendered floors. Find ways to save money that is comfortable to you. The first thing is to think of what you are hoping to get out of your travel experience and cut everything else that you can.

Covid-19 has put a stunt into many of our travel plans. Through your experiences, how do you think travel will change post-pandemic?

My best guess is that airlines will require proof of vaccination to travel on them and that masks may be required in such tight spaces for a while into the future. I am not sure it will change much other than that it is hard to say. I don’t think that adventures will ever stop seeking adventure and we all want to make it as safe for everyone as we can so I am sure there will be changes but I don’t think they will be anything too drastic.

Where would you like to travel to next?

Funnily enough my plan before the pandemic was to travel to China and SouthEast Asia. It is one of the cheapest places to solo travel and has a great hostel environment. I am not sure when I will get to go there as the Visa I intended to apply for is no longer being offered to Americans but I am hoping to go on a Scuba diving trip next winter with my dad. And possibly on the Meredith study abroad Costa Rica trip next summer.

Where would you like to travel back to again?

I think I would like to go many new places before returning anywhere, but Japan was by far the best place I have ever been and I would love to go back someday.

Lastly, what would you tell yourself before you started your independent travels?

You will be fine. You’ve got this. Don’t be afraid to ask for help or directions when you need them.

You only live once in this world, like Abi did with her international travels, if you can dream it, you can do it, and you will be just fine.

XOXO – Katie <3

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