Throw it in the bag.

via 

Towards the end of my travels, I started fielding a lots-a questions from future NPC traveling consultants (Hellooo out there again--pumped for y'all!). One of the biggest/most repeated?

"Um... How exactly do you pack?"

Ah, yes, dear one. 'Tis an art. An art that includes a 10-lb. shipment home to Mama within month uno. Those Hunter wellies I thought I'd need? Negative ghostrider. You streamline.

For those wondering, I had to type up an entire packing list for the 2011-2012 ADPi LC group. And for those curious, I'm brave enough to post my personal items on the internet. Wow. New low.

Carry-on/"The Office:"

20" Heys piece with 1-liter clear bag with fold-up toothbrush | 3 oz. mini-products (hairspray, toothpaste, lotion, deodorant) | Tide To-Go pen (to whom I owe my solidarity) | bobby pins | Emi-jay ponytail holders | lipgloss | laptop | Hobo wallet | pens | business cards and company stationary | ADPi Ritual Book, ha | passport | Vera Bradley jewelry case | umbrella | the "Emergency Outfit" | camera | a Longchamp bag | Lilly Pulitzer planner | bible/journal/books | iPod | about 20 DVD's | as much candy as they'd let me bounce through TSA with


Suitcase #1/"The Closet:"

3 sports bras | 2 long-sleeved Nike running tops for Yankeeeeeland | 2 running tanks | 2 pairs of Lululemon yoga pants | 2 pairs of Hudson jeans | 1 pair of jeggings | 2 J. Crew tanks for layering | 4-5 J. Crew cardi's to throw over dresses | 2-4 fun tops for under a jacket at work or for going out | 6 t-shirts | 1 Alpha Delta Pi sweatshirt | 1 Patagonia pull-over | 1 pair of high school football sweatpants | 1 pair of pajama boxers | my bikini, duh | 30 pairs of undies. K, that's as personal as I'm gettin' over here | 2 LBD’s | 1 black Urban Outiftters blazer |  7-8 dresses | 4 skirts | North Face rainjacket | Francesca's peacoat | 3 pashminas | gloves/hats/#ihatethenorthfrigid

Suitcase #2/"The bathroom cabinet/laundry room/pantry:"

1 large Kate Spade “Colin Bag” with manicure stuff | q-tips and cotton balls | toothbrush/toothpaste | face lotions | make-up | comb/brushes | 1 Vera Bradley Large Cosmetic Bag with vitamins | any and every medication ever |  band-aids | Airbornne | Crystal Light packets | Starbucks Via packets | infinity supply of gum | 1 pair of black Jessica Simpson stilettos | 1 pair of Private Gallery nude stilettos | 1 pair of Jack Rogers | 1 pair of Tory Burch Revas | 2 pair of Nike running shoes | 1 pair of shower shoes | 1 pair of cute boots | large Zip-Loc bag of laundry supplies | Downy Wrinkle Release | lingere bag | roll of quarters | dryer sheets | 1 resistance band | 2 3-lb. free weights. Yes, I'm crazy.

5 Tips from a Jetsetter:

1. Dryer sheets in your shoes that are going to be right up in your clothes' business for 12 hour travel days.

2. The heavier, the further to THE WHEELS it goes when packing.

3. Roll all clothes so you have room to shop pack better.

4. Give old magazines away at airports unless you think 10-lbs in glossy paper sounds fun. And new friends rule.

5. You'll love yourself more if you travel with baby hairspray, concealer, and lipgloss in your carry-on.

Dang, I'm sorta gonna miss this life.

Just kidding, I get my very first apartment key today after work.

This is how I feel about that: !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Top down and I'm at it again.

Photo courtesy of All Things Elegant.

Got a call yesterday that my schedule's changed, and I gotta rental car booked to drive to Virginia Commonwealth University on Monday, as an ADPi presentation beckons. Alas: I'm not driving there from Des Moines, never you fear. I shall be in Merry Land by then. Nevertheless--TWO HOUR SOLO ROADIE! Dear iPod, prepare to be rocked.

Anyway...

What y'all know about Richmond? I've always wanted to pay it a visit.

Blog post title: "There It Go" by Juelz Santana.

Life is either a daring adventure or nothin'.

Photo courtesy of The Beauty in Mystery.

Hard to believe I get to go through the rush of opening my monthly schedule uno mos time before this job wraps and I'm workin' in THE srat house (ADPi Headquarters) for the very merry month of May. Yeah, don't ask me what I'm doing after this stint. I dunno yet. Like, at all. But I'm honestly not worried; things always work out, huh?

Anyway, I squealed a lot when I opened this one. Without further ado, here's the March list:

Drake University

Des Moines, Iowa

Theta Eta Chapter

University of Maryland

College Park, Md.

Beta Phi Chapter

Virginia Tech

(Chyeahh!! Go Hokies!)
Blacksberg, Va.

Eta Pi Chapter

University of Tennessee

(ULTRA-pumped for my 3rd SEC visit. Hollaaa...)

Knoxville, Tenn.

Alpha Kappa Chapter

Boston University

(I promise I will not complain about the frigid here. I LOVE BOSTON.)
Boston, Mass.

Rho Chapter

I always email Mama and Pops the schedule so they know what city their darling eldest daughter is on any given day. Dad's email back: "Good for you. Do not get me a Tennessee shirt either. Love you." Ah, thank you, Daddy. He told me this week to pass on getting him a UF shirt, too. (He gets a shirt from every school I go to except here and UGA). I mean, I did grow being told not to say "Roll Tide" because it is a bad word...

Blog post title: Helen Keller wisdom.

She works hard for the money.

Photo courtesy of Mary Ruffle.

Aaand here's the next travel set. Hello from a distance, February. Can't wait 'til you begin!

University of Maryland

College Park, Md.

Beta Phi Chapter

University of Louisville

Louisville, Ky.

Expansion Presentation with some members of ADPi Grand Council

and the Expansion Team

Centre College

Centre, Ky.

Eta Omicron Chapter

University of Florida

(I'M SO EXCITED! Never been, always wanted to check out the swamp.)

Gainesville, Fla.

Gamma Iota Chapter

Distrcit IV Leadership Convention

Detroit, Mich.

Drake University

Des Moines, Iowa

Theta Eta Chapter

District III Leadership Convention

Baltimore, Md.

and, wait for it--

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

(yes, it exists. Who knew.)

Rapid City, S. Dak.

Eta Eta Chapter

Lehsgo board some planes, y'all.

Happy Birthday/This is getting ridiculous.

Photo courtesy of Brooke Glassford. Embarrassment from entire Italian ice shop singing to me, also courtesy of Brooke Glassford.

First, I graduated college. Then I turned 22 last week. As a result of these celebratory incidents, I am now I have accumulated quite the gear and am set to travel the nation. Holy cow. This is real life.

3 pieces of Heys luggage

1 laptop/briefcasey bag

1 Vera Bradley ditty bag

1 Vera Bradley curling iron holder thing

1 Kate Spade Colin travel case

1 Longchamp bag

Graduation money in visable form.

That's a lot of luggagey things.

That's my life for the next year.

One week of job training in Atlanta (aka ADPi Camp, which always resembles a Lilly convention) starts today, then I'm back home for a few short weeks before being a mother bird and setting my little travel collection out into the wild.

Photo courtesy of Lilly Pulitzer. This is my current desktop/phone wallpaper.

So in the name of azure blue and white, I'm off to meet the 5 women/fellow traveling leadership consultants. We hear we'll be fast friends.

I'm a wanderer I have no place or time.

I'l' be feeling so fly like a G6, like a G6, like a like a G6. Photo courtesy of We Heart It.

Post a zillion college graduation pictures on Facebook, and the "what's next for you" question becomes everyone's new favorite:

People: "Ash, congrats! *fist pump/pound/chest bump/etc.* Aight, so tell me what you're doing next."

Me: "Well, for almost a year, I'll be on the road as a traveling leadership consultant for Alpha Delta Pi sorority. I figure I have a bunch of rando sorority knowledge/fun facts to impart upon the youth of our nation and wanted to shake things up."

People: "No WAY--my friend that did that for her sorority (no lie, who knew this was such a popular job). Where are you based?"
Me: "Kinda Atlanta? Um, my suitcase? I don't really know..."

In less than two months, I start my first post-college job. When I say traveling, I mean heavy emphasis on the traveling part. Like, heavy as in I usually won't stay put longer than a week.

So that's why I'm coming to you. I have a SLIGHT overpacking tendancy--as in life, I like options ok? And I think I've done the airport-by-myself-thing once. Contrary to popular belief, interning in the Southern Living travel department didn't teach me everything. Yikes. So please. Help. Me.

I want to know everything. From the "pack the heavy stuff by the suitcase wheels" to "Tory Burch Reva flats will set off the security alarm and cause a scene." (Do they? I dunno. Someone tell me, otherwise my ballerina flats and I shall learn the hard way.)

Further, what "stuff" do you like to travel with? Below is my wish list as of 5.26.2010. Feel free to sponsor me, I take checks.

Kate Spade Large Colin cosmetic case. Because keeping your makeup brushes in a glass champagne flute isn't gonna fly on the road. (Fly, get it? Mwhaha.)

Longchamp Le Pilage. Bandwaggoning. Again. But it's super light, eh?

Vera Bradley Ditty Bag. I was told to get one stat because despite their inherent cuteness, I will not be using baby bottles of anything.

Baekgaard Leather Travel Companion. Because I vow not to be my usual absent-minded/forgetful self for ONE year. And I may get to go to Canada, hence a passport.

AquaBells. As seen in SkyMall. I would, I know.

Okay. Hit me. Best travel tips, best packing supplies, travel blogs. Mark, get set, GO.

Blog title: "Wanderer" by Marc Broussard. Because didn't some wise sage decide love is all we need anyway? Adore you, Marc. And a-HEM--the one who's out there smiling reading this part, thanks for everything. You know who you are :)

Northbound to Nashtown

Friday 6/12/2009 at 4:02 p.m. - I get an email from my best friend, an intern at Birmingham's stunning Museum of Art. What on earth were we going to do over the weekend? The following is our conversation:

Ashlyn: Cabin fever. BAD. i'm about to say lets jet off to ATL or nashville

Sloan: really?? can we please? i just said those exact same words to my mother i am DYING to get outta this town. (I should add at this point that, despite a Braves game, we have been kicking it in the fabulous 'Ham for approximately 5 consecutive months.)

Ashlyn: you think we could swing it? you know i'm in if you are.

Sloan: well. we'd have to decide where first.

Ashlyn: ha. okay, hm. can we go to n'ville?

Bingo. 1.5 hours later, with Vera Bradley bags packed and Dave's new album blaring, my counterpart and I hit the road

I-65: Northbound to Nashville.

Continue reading my article on SouthernLiving.com