The First Snowfall!

Being born and raised in California, it is a pretty rare occurrence to actually see some snow (or rain, cold weather, or winter for that matter), unless you live up north in the more mountainous areas. That being said, moving to Kansas was a pretty exciting adventure for several reasons, but I think one of my most favorite reasons was knowing I was going to be able to experience all four seasons in one year.

So far I have been able to experience a very humid summer with beautiful greenery surrounding Manhattan and the K-State campus, the leaves on our trees transition from green to the gorgeous colors of fall, and most recently and perhaps the most exciting... snow!

I have been fortunate enough to have seen snow before in California for weekend family trips up North, but I have personally never been able to see a snowfall. Anytime we took a trip to play in the snow it would all already be thick on the ground with no chance of snowfall. (Although I guess I should mention I have seen Disneyland's fake snowfall in front of the castle, and that was pretty magical too!)

But this Disneyland fake snow had nothing over the real stuff I experienced in Kansas! I honestly could not hold in my excitement when I looked out my dorm room window last Saturday morning and saw snow covering the cars in the parking lot and snow still falling from the sky. I was so excited I practically jumped down the ladder of my bed, which is way too tall by the way, just to get a closer look! "The first fall of snow is not only an event, it's a magical event."

My first snowfall was absolutely everything I hoped it to be and more, and I had to celebrate with a super-duper awesome snowball!

To really get into the holiday spirit and to embrace everything winter is beginning to offer, I treated Lizzie to her very first Starbuck's holiday drink ever (#whitegirlprobs, Lizzie!hahaha), and we enjoyed the cool winter weather with our red cups, great friendship, and the movie Frozen!

Unfortunately the snow did not last too long, but I know I should take advantage of this somewhat warmer weather before the weather is constantly below the freezing point with a freeeeeezing windchill factor. After all, I still have a whole winter ahead of me! 

Living a live of purple, passion, progress, [the four seasons], and purpose,

Kaitlyn Alanis

Purpose, A Self Realization.

"The purpose of life is to live a life of purpose." This quote perfectly describes my attitude towards life, and being as busy as I have been lately, there is no greater feeling than realizing the life I am living has been a life of purpose. A purpose to serve, a purpose to advocate, a purpose to teach, a purpose to love, and a purpose to lead. And this purpose is fulfilled with sisterhood, friendships, and family. I have recently come to realize life becomes so much more purposeful and meaningful when you are not just worried about building a resume, but rather building to become a better person, who in turn helps build a better school, community, and life through serving what you are passionate about.

Serving as a SGA (Student Governing Association) intern has been a position filled with purpose. As an intern we have a purpose to serve on committees, write and present legislation, and speak up and debate at senate meetings to help make K-State even greater for the students and faculty. In early October, I had the opportunity to write and read my first piece of legislation to the senate. This legislation was through the College Allocations Committee, and we were proposing to allocate money to the Society of Petroleum Engineers (SPE), which would allow them to travel to a Oil Show which helps promote learning not just inside the classroom, but outside as well. This was passed, and I was so proud to have been even just a small factor in helping these SPE students gain even more experience throughout their college career.

Reading my legislation to the senate

I am also a Housing & Leadership Scholarship Recipient (HLS), and have had opportunities to meet with my other HLS members. Together, we have a purpose of leading and influencing in a positive way on campus, while all holding at least one leadership position within our residence halls.

HLS Recipients on "Top of the World" Hill

In addition, as part of the K-State Agricultural Education Club as well as by being an AgEd major, I have a purpose of promoting agricultural literacy and supporting agricultural education organizations such as FFA, 4-H, and research & extension projects. Just this week I was able to attend two Kansas FFA Leadership Schools (which is where they host their opening/closing ceremonies or ritual contests, parliamentary procedure contests, as well as their FFA information tests), where myself and a few other AgEd majors were recruiting potential students to be "tAGgED to teach ag!" This is a very rewarding experience for me, as we are in a desperate need for more agricultural education instructors to "fill the boots", and FFA members have so much potential to do so. Educating my communities about agricultural education is a purpose I hold very near and dear to my heart.

Throughout Sigma Alpha I have been able to make so many new friends, and now sisters, who hold the same passion for agriculture such as myself. We all hold a purpose to support and promote agricultural literacy, and our national platform is Ag. in the Classroom.

      

Sigma Alpha Activation!

         "Only the best have the heart of the bull."

             

                   Sigma Alpha Sisters and my AgEd family
             at Sigma Alpha Family Day.

                             

These two lovely ladies were first my hall mates,
then my friends, and now my sisters.
Could not have been more blessed! 

College of Ag Barn Dance with my sisters! 

Big&Little love! So fortunate to have Alicia as my big,
 she was one of the first AgEd majors I met,
and a strong reason I rushed Sigma Alpha! :)

         

       Sigma Alpha sisters at the pumpkin patch!

I am so blessed to have so many opportunities at K-State to live a life of purpose, and cannot imagine living my life any other way. Throughout these first few months of college I have been challenged by limiting the amount of organizations I get involved with due to time constraints, but in doing so I have discovered my true passions, and how I create my life of purpose. What is your purpose?


Living a life of purple, passion, progress, and purpose,

Kaitlyn Alanis

Purple! (All thanks to national blue and corn gold)

*Note: As I am slightly over a month behind, I will be breaking up October's blog posts into different categories :)

At the end of October, I had the opportunity to attend the National FFA Convention in Louisville, Kentucky with the K-State Agricultural Education Club. As part of going with the AgEd Club, we were there to recruit and talk to students who have interest in attending Kansas State University after high school.

First day of recruiting for K-State with the AgEd Club

Talking to potential future K-State students was such an awesome experience to have, as it was not too long ago I was a potential student trying to get all the information possible from K-State. It was very rewarding to begin to witness everything turn full circle, and I once again could not have been more proud of my decision to join the KSU Family, and I loved being able to share my experience with current FFA members.

We love Willie and the K-State Family!

One of my favorite aspects of K-State when I was deciding on a college to attend was the personal, handwritten notes I had received from current students. To me, this proved that the K-State Family everyone talks about isn't just a campaign to get students here, but that everyone really does care for you. So after convention, I truly enjoyed having the opportunity to write postcards to FFA members which I had talked to throughout convention, as this allowed me to express how much I enjoyed meeting with all those students, and to realize once again how it is thanks to my FFA journey that led me to my K-State journey.

I also cannot forget to mention some of the other perks about attending National FFA Convention, such as that this convention is very similar to a family reunion for me. From catching up with Washington Leadership Conference friends and roommates from almost two years ago, to other FFA friends from back home in California, all the way to one of my old chapter advisors and members from back home in Los Banos, I could not express my excitement to see all these people who made such large impacts on my life.

                                     

                                                       

  

               








All in all, the week of National FFA Convention is always a trip of a lifetime, and I could not be more grateful to have had the opportunity to travel to convention several times throughout my FFA, and now K-State journey. The people I meet, the memories made, and the experiences had could not be traded for anything.


Living a life of purple, passion, progress, and purpose,

Kaitlyn Alanis