Three destinations. Ten days. 31 hours driving. 2,124 miles.
It was tiring. I'm still exhausted to be honest, but it was a new experience and ended up being rewarding in unexpected ways.
1. My sorority is a lot more diverse than I ever really thought.
I thought I kind of knew most of our chapter in Tri Delta, but spending a week in Key West with 20 of my sisters that I thought I knew showed me that I didn't really know them like I should.
2. Tech is most definitely the most unified and spirited school out there.
We took over. With nearly 500 Hokies in a three mile radius of the island, it was hard to miss us. Almost every DJ got a request for Enter Sandman and a “Let's Go!" chant was started at least once a night. Not to mention the Ut Prosim chant that happened once as well…
3. There is such a thing as too much fun.
Ten days is a lot, even when you sleep in.
4. Sleep is not, in any way, overrated.
You have to sleep in. The bars don't close until 4 a.m. in Key West, so getting enough sleep after that was the most important thing anyone could do.
5. Neither is breakfast.
As broke college students, we tried to save money... but sometimes you need to give in and buy some food. I ate bagels for breakfast every single day and I never want to see one again. Give me some brunch.
6. But key lime pie is definitely overrated.
We were in the Keys and we were able to do some touristy things, but stuff like Key Lime Pie and a burger from Margaritaville are a waste of money…they taste the same everywhere.
7. Some people are really, really stupid.
I cannot count the number of times that I saw someone (both college aged and older) do something completely out of the ordinary and dumb. Spring break is fun, but it's not the right time to totally turn off your brain.
8. Road trips are the best.
We got the chance to stop in two other towns on our long drive to and from the Keys – and that made our trip so much more worthwhile. Half of my favorite memories from our trip were from us spending time in the car together, complaining together and making weird pit stops together.
9. Sun poisoning is the worst.
I did not experience this personally, as I applied way too much sunscreen to my winter while skin, but I watched some people ruin their trip, as well as their skin during the week.
10. You will have a bittersweet decision the next year about whether to return or not.
It was expensive, it was dirty, it was tiring, and it was unlike any other week. So, why not do it again? I'm already ready.
