Bowtie and Sweater Vest

Tonight I had the opportunity to speak to the newest group of LSU Ambassadors about what it means for them to be receiving their polos and officially becoming a part of the organization. It was a bit of a surprise for the group and it was really great to see them all after spending so long away from most of them.

Honestly, I'm not a great public speaker and it's not something that I particularly look forward to doing. It usually takes me some time to get comfortable and my voice always quivers regardless of whether I'm feeling nervous or not. It just happens and there hasn't been much to get over the shaky voice. Tonight though, I got to blame it on the cold--woot for that!

I also always forget something that I wanted to say. I try to not use notes but like to have a basic outline of my thoughts to use as a prompt, just in case I get lost. Well, tonight was no exception and I skipped one of the first things that I wanted to say. Oh, well.

Here are the highlights:

• Being told "no" is simply an opportunity to prove someone wrong-not in a disrespectful way, but to simply learn from your mistakes, and improve yourself (This is one of my favorite lessons from my time in college--the other being that it's almost always easier to ask for forgiveness than to beg for permission)
  
• Ambassadors are always representatives of the organization whether they are working in official capacity or out at a bar. Their actions will impact those that they come across much more than is immediately apparent.
• The new Ambassadors must be confident that they've been trained and prepared well and use that in orientation and beyond.
• Though it may seem like a long time away, these new members will soon be the seasoned Ambassadors that they admired. It's up to them to take on these roles with open arms.
• I make bad jokes about Coldplay frequently...

It was very rewarding to be able to speak and share some of my stories with them as they begin this journey that goes by all too quickly. Also, I must thank Heather and her associate chairs, Carly and Laura, for the invitation and faith in me!

I leave you now with a picture of me just before I left my apartment. Sorry, it's a MySpace style, bathroom mirror picture but it was the best I could do!