Spring break holds a different meaning to every college student you talk to. For me it usually involves getting a week off school to spend with my family and friends back home. However, this year I decided to try something new. Little did I know that it was going to exceed any and all expectations I had of my spring break. I signed up for the Alpha Zeta Service trip to Key West, FL because I thought it was a good way to give back to the community while going to a place that I had never been to before. In the process I bonded with 13 of the most incredible individuals I have ever met. Not only did we pick up around 1,500lbs of trash along the beaches and mangroves of Key West but we explored the island, cooked together, ate meals together, and my favorite part was when we had dinner together and reflected on what our day had consisted of. I loved this part because I feel that I usually have to justify my excitement about nature, animals, and volunteer work. However in this trip everyone was on the same page, it was so nice to hear from my brothers how excited they were about being in nature and helping out the environment. Each night the reflections helped us bond more by not only talking about the service we were participating in but also by discussing topics such as politics, religion, and economics! Thats right, little did you know college kids had these conversations during spring break! We even expressed our opinions on the famous documentary "Blackfish" and found that we were mostly on the same page. It was such a neat experience to have such insightful conversations with brothers I see at the meeting and just talk about school with. Everyone is so brilliant, so kind, and so loving that I am so happy we got the opportunity to reflect each day and hear what we all had to say. I feel that I know everyone so much better now and love them so much more for their individual thoughts and opinions. I loved every second of the trip but my favorite was sitting around the table eating spaghetti and reflecting on what we had done in the day. I know that these are friendships I will have for the rest of my life and it makes me so happy to know that I have a group of brothers that know me for exactly who I am and love me for it :)
Originally posted by Sthefanny G. Houghton