Convention 2014 - Seattle, WA
 

Who is getting excited about Convention?!

Region 8 team is getting to preview the hotel this weekend and we will get to take a site tour with the Convention Arrangements Committee on Sunday.

I'm hoping to see several of the GC Gamma Phi Betas there in July! :D

I'm planning to go...it will be #6 for me!

If I get re-elected as AC President, I will be going as delegate. It will be my first convention!

Any news on when the registration fees will be announced?

Me! I'm so excited. This will be #4 for me. It's going to be so much fun to experience Convention as a CA for the first time! Which reminds me - I was going to learn the alto parts for the songs so I could sing as an alto in the choir this year instead of soprano. :) :) :) Better get working on that!!

I have wanted to go to the last 3, but life got in the way. Maybe this year.

Fort Worth Alumnae delegate/alternate has not been decided yet, but we've definitely budgeted for it. You should put your name in for consideration if you can go since we are funding part of their way!

My alumnae chapter doesn't yet have enough money.
Neither do I.

I am very bummed.

:(
Our chapter always has a raffle to raise money for the delegate fund.

I have a very awkward work schedule and likely won't be able to attend. Though, I always hold out hope.....

Crashing.
Y'all will be hanging out with my girl SmartBlondeGPhiB, who is in Seattle. She's awesome

:)

Does anyone have any info on when the registration prices will be announced?

Yeah, that's what I want to know too. :)

Conventions are ridiculously expensive. I believe that the 2012 convention registration fees were $800, not including airfare or hotel. The hotel convention rate runs $149/night (for one person), $159 (double occupancy) and $169 (triple occupancy) - with 14.5% tax. It would be $240 round trip for me to fly on Southwest airlines. So, in all, it would cost me $1,722 to attend - not including costs for any meals that aren't included, foundation donations, or any shopping at the convention boutique. :(

If my schedule and budget will allow it, I may try to fly in Friday night or Saturday morning to attend ritual and the pink carnation dinner and then leave Sunday morning. That would "only" cost me $750.

Sorry ladies, the registration fee schedule has been published and I regret that I can't go. Not only am I on-duty with slim chance of getting a shift trade; but, I can't justify the high expense to attend. :( Please report back afterward to share with us all of the fun times!

So, I'm finally coming back after a long hiatus from here and thank you Jill1228 for the shout out. I will of course be there :)

I'm trying to decide which of the breakout sessions to attend (assuming VLs don't have a directive). Hope to meet some of my fellow GC GPBs. :-)

If you're coming early, let me know. I'll be helping with convention stuff the few days before but I am a native and the convention hotel is only about 15 minutes from my house.

Will do... as I'm one of the two on the R8 team who doesn't live that near, I'll be in at least a day early, I'm sure! :D

I'm pretty sure we are friends on FB too. (I'm slow on the uptake sometimes!)

I am SO excited!!! This will be #4 for me, but my first as a chapter advisor. With some additional funding from HCB and an alumnae chapter we are sending all 7 exec members! I absolutely cannot wait to share the experience with them and see how much they learn.

Eta - apparently I'm so excited that I just made a near repeat of my page 1 post. Lol.

I'm going to be registering tonight for Convention; I will be the delegate for my alumnae chapter. It will be my first time attending :)
Looking forward to meeting y'all!

Just over 5 weeks away!!

I guess I didn't mention here, although I mentioned it a bit ago on the Convention thread in Greek Life. I'm on slate for nominating committee. I'm so honored, and will be thrilled no matter what. But of course I'd love to be the delegate. :) So, um, you'll see me on stage Thursday morning!

^^^ I noticed that in the packet...I'll vote for you! :) Last Convention, I was asked by Linda Maloney (a couple weeks beforehand) to present one of the two opening motions. A collegian was asked to present the motion to open Convention, and I presented the motion to accept the agenda. That was fun!

I am!!!!!!! This is my 1st Convention, I cannot explain how ecstatic I am to be my chapter delegate :) Love in ΠΚΕ from Epsilon Zeta, can't wait to meet everyone! <3

I'm also emerging from my cave to let you all know that I will be there as a volunteer, too, since I live in the Seattle area.

Twelve days until Seattle!!!!!

For those who have been to Convention before, how formal do people dress for the Awards dinner and Pink Carnation banquet? I'm having a hard trouble finding something formal to wear that fits and is in my price range

Award dinner is definitely a short dress...little black dress, evening wedding guest dress, cocktail dress, nice dress/suit, etc. For the Pink Carnation Banquet, You will see everything from short cocktail dresses to long formal gowns with sequins. IC will all be in long gowns. You tend to see more alumnae in long gowns and more collegians in the short dresses collegians are wearing to chapter formals nowadays. I've worn a black cocktail dress with beading, a sleeveless long gown with a beaded bodice, and a dressy black skirt with a beaded jacket/tank. It's just like formal night on a cruise, if you've done that. I've worn the same things to both.

I've found this is a good time to find mother-of-the-bride, post-prom dresses on sale at department stores (Younkers is near us and that's where I've shopped). You can find a good variety to match your age status.:)

This is actually super helpful! I have a nice dress that I was going to wear to my rehearsal dinner that I will likely wear for the awards dinner if I can't find 2 nicer dresses. I'm not 100% on it since it's a thicker cotton material though. My body type is tricky to shop for, and I haven't seen anything I have liked so far. I need to go to Nordstrom's and another Macy's though!

^^^ I wouldn't worry as much about the awards dinner. Some sisters may wear their business attire from meetings that day...I wouldn't worry about the cotton material. If you're possibly going on stage to pick up a chapter award, it may be worth fussing over a bit more...otherwise, just nice business attire or a dress should be just fine. There isn't a lot of time to change in between events (although this year's schedule looks like it has some decent breaks). Sisters get creative with adding a colorful sweater or scarf to their white dresses for the am business meeting, and taking that off for ritual on Saturday afternoon.

I attended Convention as a collegian, and then there was a long gap before the first time I went as an alumna. I worried about my attire quite a bit the first time I went back, a little bit the second time, and now I don't really think about it too much. Trust me, you will see all shapes and sizes, and as long as you're appropriate for that day's attire, I wouldn't worry about it too much. The dress code sounds strict, but I think it's mostly to help the young collegians know what to wear so they're interpreting the dress code correctly.

Four days!!!!!! It's all I can do to not start packing already. :)

^^^ this!

I started laying everything out last night. I always waffle back and forth but ended up deciding to return the long dress I had bought for Pink Carnation after trying on several dresses already in my closet. (I'd get the wear out of it for sure, but realized I just didn't "love" the dress enough to need it!)

I also finally got a new white dress after trying on every white dress in sight for the last two months. I don't love it, but it's better than the well-worn whites already in my closet!

I leave tomorrow - have to (ironically) go to Syracuse for business first on my way.

I'm arriving Tuesday evening. I'm hoping to have time to decorate my hat before everything kicks off on Wednesday -- I think I stress more about that than anything else!

Last time, I found some really cute pink and brown western "cowgirl" theme ribbon and decorations at Hobby Lobby; it was perfect! They didn't have any fake pink carnations, though. I wonder what the hat will be this year...a rain hat?

Saw pbear19 in the elevator last night...good luck to pbear on the elections today!

Ooooo . . . good luck, pbear! Thanks for any and all updates, Sciencewoman!

You guys are getting fantastic weather while you're in town. Soak it up as much as you can!

All slated IC candidates were elected. Pbear gave a great speech! The chapter I help advise was runner-up for an award.

Having a great time so far!

Aww, thanks! I had such a great time at Convention. Getting to be on stage and make a speech was definitely a highlight. I felt like such a celebrity! <3 my sisters!!!

I'm still in Seattle, but looks like I'll be coming home on Wednesday. Absolutely had the most amazing time. It's hard to rank them, but this convention may have been my favorite. So great to see many GC'ers, too!

You did an amazing job!