Hi everyone! My name is Lainey Davis and I am a rising senior majoring in Nutritional Sciences and currently pursuing dental school. From volunteering at Shands, to serving as a Florida Cicerone, to participating in intramural sports, my UF experience has allowed me to feed my passion for building relationships. ADPi has played not only an immense role in this aspect, but also in shaping my character, my ambition, and most importantly, my most cherished moments and friendships. As a member of AC’17, I have served as the Intramural Chair, the Vice President of Operations, and proudly serve now as the Chapter President.
If you told me a year ago that I would be writing about life amidst a pandemic, I would never have believed you. Heck, 5 months ago I wouldn’t have believed you and would have gone right back to planning events and chapter functions for the remainder of the semester. As we well know, circumstances have proven otherwise and for most, we have watched our daily lives change before our eyes. I understand that this situation looks different for every person, however, I hope that each of you has found ways to seize the opportunities that unprecedented change presents. It’s amazing what a perspective shift can do!
That being said, I am well aware this is far easier said than done. Being an enneagram 6 and heavily reliant on planning, I have learned the beauty of adaptation. The past few months have been full of twists and turns, and frankly, rolling with the punches as they come. Zoom sisterhood events, senior goodbye videos and other kinds of virtual connection have become the norm, as we walk through time with COVID-19. It was not the spring nor summer that anyone could have expected, yet I have witnessed creativity flourish in ways unlike ever before within chapter engagement. Additionally, this summer brought to light the power of pause and allowed us to more deeply analyze our chapter values in regards to diversity and equity. The current social climate sparked numerous impactful conversations within our membership as well as in Alpha Delta Pi Nationals. I look forward to growing with this chapter and implementing an action plan rooted in mindfulness and inclusion. No one is perfect, but I am confident in the good that can result from collective awareness and conscious change.
In the theme of moving forward, the world we are living in poses an endless stream of questions about the near future. I understand that many may be curious as to what the sorority experience will look like when our lives seem wrapped in caution tape. While I cannot answer each and every question about what this year will present, I can assure you all that a meaningful membership experience will remain among these circumstances. Sisterhood, social, and other chapter events will be provided in a hybrid fashion. Our beautiful, spacious new home will allow for safe and regulated in-person opportunities with virtual options to accommodate all comfort levels. We are fortunate to have a team of House Corporation, Executive members, advisors, our House Mom, as well as chapter members working together on a plan for smooth operation throughout this pandemic.
Although some things may look different initially, one thing that will not change is the depth of this sisterhood. Arguably, now more than ever is the sorority experience vital to our members. With many courses taking an online format, ADPi will be able to provide community, support, socialization and leadership opportunities where other aspects of the university may not. I am confident in the relentless ability of my sisters to make the best of any situation, and have no doubt this will sustain as long as these circumstances persist. We’re only as good as our perspective and I urge each and every one of you to continue to seek light as we enter this next year. If I’ve learned anything in the past few months, it’s that you can’t control what life throws at you, but you can control your reaction to it. Lean on one another, support one another, and most importantly, know that good can be found in every situation. Stay safe!
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