The Blue Key Honor Society: Also a Dedication to Tayler & Ashley

Over the summer I got a call while I was in a store at the mall. It was the President of Emporia State University's wife, Mrs. Shonrock. She was calling me to tell me she read my blog post I had made about them and that she appreciated it. Then she went on to tell me about this honor society in which you have to be invited to by the President. She didn't know much about it just yet, but would keep me updated. As the semester started, I started to learn more about it through talking with Mr. and Mrs. Shonrock when I would see them at events and what not. One day I ran into Mr. Shonrock on the way to work and we chatted about how well the T-Shirt Exchange was going and he told me that I was going to be getting a postcard in the mail soon telling me that I have been selected to be in the Blue Key Honor society. I called my mom and held back tears. It wouldn't be the last time I would tear up because of this honor society.

Later on, I found out that Ashley and Tayler had also been selected. When I found this out, I couldn't help to be proud of the three of us. Freshman year, we had applied to be Ambassadors and made it. We have continued to work together and now all have executive positions on the board for Ambassadors as President (Ashley), Spirit Co-Chair (Tayler) and Vice President (myself). We definitely have a special bond as friends and as leaders at Emporia State University.

The dedication and ceremony for the Blue Key Honor Society and the new room named The Blue Key Room was an amazing experience I won't forget. To explain a little better, The Blue Key Honor Society came about at ESU and the first class was in 1962. They had 11 members and all of them were male. Women were not allowed to be a part of the group. It died out in the 1980's. President Shonrock is a Blue Key member and wanted to bring it back to Emporia State. Past Lt. Governor, Gary Sherrer and President Shonrock are the co-advisers for the society. They picked 12 students, 6 boys and 6 girls to be in the Blue Key Honor Society. You have to be a junior/senior and have a certain GPA requirement as well as have established yourself as a leader at ESU.

Out of the original 11 men, 9 of them are still living and all of them were able to come to the ceremony. That night, we were all dressed up and surrounded by a lot of older distinguished people and past Blue Key members. The original class was in the middle of getting their picture taken. As we waited, Tayler got my attention and whispered to me, "Do you see any other black people here?" My eyes looked around the room and I couldn't spot one. That's when I realized Tayler was going to be the first African American to be a part of this society. She explained to Ashley and I that she had broken down a little bit earlier that day as she realized she would not only be one of the first women in the group, but the first African American as well. Then it was our time to take a picture with the original class. As we gathered and I was about to sit down with a couple other girls in the front row, one of the original men looked up at us and said, "Girls." I don't know if he was joking or not. It seemed like he was a little taken back to see us as members. We took the picture and then our own picture. Technically we are the second, first class of the Blue Key Honor Society.

We went into the Blue Key Room and we had to sit in these two rows at the front of the room facing the crowd. They had us stand, raise our right hand, and take an oath. We also got certificates and a pin. The atmosphere of the room was filled with rich history with grand old fashioned furniture, a portrait of the first class on the wall, and a variety of distinguished people as they watched proudly. I couldn't help but smile, tears hiding behind my eyes. Afterwards, all the people came by as we sat at the front of the room to shake our hands and chat with us. One woman, shook Ashley's hand and said, "It's nice to see women in it. We could never break through."
We signed our names in a book that will always be at ESU so we can come back years from now and see it in there.

It was one of my most proudest moments yet. I got to be a part of history as one of the first women to be inducted into the Blue Key Honor Society. I couldn't have been happier getting to experience this with Tayler and Ashley. Ashley and I were so happy for Tayler. Tayler and I had a little heart to heart moment the next day. Heart to hearts aren't a regular thing for us, so it was extra special. She is beautiful and amazing with a huge heart. I really do admire her for coming to ESU and making her mark and setting an example as an empowered woman. At ESU, she is definitely a minority. Freshman year, there were only 4 African American girls, including her, on our floor. She doesn't let it bother her and definitely owns who she is. She is simply and uniquely, Tayler Wash.

I can't wait to see what happens next with us and what else we will do for ESU! That night, I was already picturing us as old ladies visiting ESU as Alumni still joking around like usual. :)

Sparkle & Shine,
Rachel

P.S. I feel like I should also mention they got me my stuffed animal kitty, Sprinkles. A time I needed it most! Amazing friends for sure :)

Our freshman year after our first day of Ambassador retreat trying on our name tags for the first time!

Golfing for the Ambassador team at an Alumni Golf Tournament in Hesston, Kansas. This is with our amazing Ambassador adviser, Nikki.

I'm A College Kid

I am now in my Junior year of college and I feel as though I am finally evolving into a somewhat typical college kid that you see in the movies, hear about through stories, and read about in magazines. It's shining through in areas of my life.

T-shirts are consuming my closet with half to majority of them being free. There is an assortment of colors and I also have shirts from other colleges thanks to conferences I have attended. It's slowly becoming just about all that I wear lately. College t-shirts.

Instead of ramen noodles, I have now taken up eating the Velveeta easy mac type things you pop in the microwave just about every day. And now I love coffee and savor the moments I get to have it.  My bank account is even feeling like a college kid these days.

The last couple Sundays I have put in around 6 hours at the library.

Anna and I got excited when we were able to get $10 worth of quarters from Wal-Mart to last us a couple weeks to do laundry. We wouldn't have to scrounge our wallets for a little while.

Sometimes I can't help but admire the beauty of being here at college and getting to experience these things. The smallest little things. 

There are times where I am exhausted, when my days are just about planned down to the minute and my breaks are when I eat some lunch and dinner. Sometimes it gets to be overwhelming doing everything I do. I am getting used to people cringing when I tell them what my life entails. There times where I do get frustrated and overwhelmed. There are times I wish I could read a book or spend an afternoon watching netflix like other college kids, but I know this time is important and that it will be worth it. I was in a meeting just yesterday when a guy walked in and another guy asked him how he was and he said, "exhausted." I knew right then that I wasn't alone and that it is normal. I was in a meeting for people involved and that have titles in organizations on campus so we can work together and share what we are doing in our organizations. We can all relate.

I am going to cherish these moments because no matter how busy, rough, tired I can be, I know that I will look back at this time in my life later on and I know I will smile. I already smile.

Here is something I have been doing at school. Poetry :) I have been enjoying getting to explore and stretch myself when it comes to poetry. I whipped up this poem in about 10 minutes for an exercise we did in one of our books. It is about my planner. Those of you who know me pretty well know that it is a pretty important thing in my life!

My Planner
It keeps me in line
with its own lines
going straight on the page
like I am going straight to my future.

The wires bound the book
as it bounds me with a schedule
full of assignments, meetings,
appointments, work, and events.

Scattered scribbles fill the pages
just as my thoughts frill me.
They gently remind me what to do
and who to meet at exactly what time.

Pink pops from the page to add pizzaz,
to match my personality and add flavor to my life.
It reminds me to be me,
to be the girly me.


Sparkle & Shine,
Rachel

Most of the t-shirts. I have gotten more since this picture was taken!