If I had a type then baby it would be you.

How do you people at palm-tree-climate universities ever go to class?

Yesterday I caught a 5 a.m. flight outta the sunny south, and this mornin', I'm missing my Gamma Iota sisters as I sit here in Detroit! I'm always reeeal quiet about my "favorite visits," but I'll go ahead and admit this one is on up there at the top. I fell for this chapter and University of Florida. Shhhh...

University of Florida

Gainesville, Fla.

Gamma Iota Chapter

Highlights/breaks in the 11-hour work day:

The Swamp: Every school I go to, I either ask to see the football stadium or sneak in myself and run stadiums. If I didn't ask you to see your stadium, well, uh, put it this way: I wouldn't necessarily take you to Samford's Seibert Stadium. "Ashlyn, when's your next meeting," Sam-the-pres asked. "Uhh, 12:30. How come?" "Come on. Wanna go see our stadium?" And then a ginormous man with a ginormous championship ring chillin' on the bleachers with his wifey snapped our pic. UF's Ben Hill Griffin Stadium? Check.

Sam was so patient with me being a total tourist.

ΑΤΩ-ΑΔΠ Strawberries and Champagne Mixer: Every now and then, I give in to the persuasive begging of the collegians: "PLEASE come tonight to our social! It's gonna be so fun. It won't be weird we promise! Come on--you're basically our age!" (I mean, I am their age). Plus, this historical mixer used to be held between Florida Alpha Tau Omega's and FSU ADPi's until UF went co-ed and Alpha Delt came on in '42...

Stinkin' adorable Gamma Iota girls + good 'ole tradition +

 the little black party dress and stilettos I travel with = I went to a frat party.

Wednesday, we headed over to Gainesville's precious downtown and 101. I think the boys were excited to meet "nationals" and I was quickly labeled Miss Alabama. Dear precious sophomore frat boys, nice try. Excellent job convincing me that you were a second-year UF law student. NOT. But y'all were just so cute.

And then I laughed so much I didn't even think to the the Cam--oh, I mean, Heisman--pose.

Oh, and there's that little last name, "Tebow." So I stalked the halls and found these guys. Oh, I see you my girls. Because I do not care that he cried on national television, I would marry Tim Tebow tomorrow. You wanna shout Jesus' name all day, I'm gonna fall for ya. And they say he's gotta marry an Alpha Dee, right? Right. :)

Get itttt, Social Chair.

All apologies, Daddy, but I indeed loved UF. And bought the t-shirt.

Blog post title: "Tonight" by Enrique Inglesias.

Gator chomp.

Even then I always knew how much I love that white and blue. Gamma Iota chapter house.

University of Florida

Gainesville, Fla.

Gamma Iota chapter

Today, I emailed my boss that there were "major operational problems" (Yeah, no. Not at all.) in Florida and that it looks like it's best for me to stay shipped here until April.

Verbatim email back from The Boss:

"Uhh... I'm gonna go with a 'no.' Sorry, Charlie. Nice effort though."

Porch swing sitting between meetings, Spanish moss on a live oak is my jam.

Sigh. I just can't help it! I'm finally rid--well, for 4 days--of pesky peacoats and scarves and gloves and tights anad Under Armour. Today? Sundress and sandals. Get at me. I was born under a Southern sun for good reason: Throw me my Lilly bathing suit and gimme a little tanning oil and I'm set for a good six hours. Really. I love outside. I even started popping Vitamin D pills with this job because I am severely worried that I'm not outdoors enough...

Obviously then, I'm all about UF. The part of me that had a dorm, tons of Noles paraphernalia, and everything set for freshman year at Florida State University (reeeeal long story) still sees a mossy live oak next to a palmetto tree next to an old gothic style building and absolutely swoons. I'm having excellent running adventures through campus this week.

Precious basket (note the koozie--chyessss), the random love offering of roses.

I lug my 124 lbs. of luggage into my room to find an adorable welcome basket, and they promptly got a vase for my roses. Wait, roses, you ask? Sigh again. Weird things happen to me at airports. I met some guy in terminal D at Hartsfield-Jackson International and by the time we were at baggage claim in Gainesville, he'd run up to me and given me a dozen roses. Baha. And I don't even know his name... Thanks, dude!

So yeah. More to come, but for now suffice it to say:

I love the Southeast and don't ever wanna leave.

They speaka my native language down hurr.

p.s. Oh, and the Tebow girls (Tim's mama and sis) were ADPi's here. No worries--I'm stalking the composites in the hall tomorrow. I shall report back.