To my FOTO fam,
Okay, this might be a bit long, but trust me, it’s worth the read! If you're wondering why all these Alumni are always talking about the "good old days" and telling you to hit up meetings and bake sales every Monday, I get it. But for me, FOTO wasn’t just an organization – it was my LIFE at Penn State, and I wouldn’t change a thing about those years (I even got the tattoo to prove it). Seriously, no matter how many hours I spent on the board, dancing at THON, or being president, FOTO gave me way more than I could ever give back. It has this amazing way of giving you back more than you put in.
Here’s my first piece of advice, especially since you'll all be packing the stands at the BJC next week: MAKE FRIENDS IN FOTO! Go grab drinks together at Pianos on Wednesdays (my twin’s a bit of legend there), party on Saturdays, do lunch, study in the HUB ’til 4am during Finals (and whatever you do, DON’T find one person to gamble with who becomes your new best friend – you might regret that later – Go Birds, sorry Pax). But seriously, the friendships you make in FOTO are the real deal. If there’s one thing, I want you to take away from me, it’s this: take the time to make those connections - it’s NEVER too late and a lot of it starts THON weekend. I made some of my best friends. It’s the people I’m with every weekend and its people that I was never even in college with at the time but they’re FOTO alumni and have become some of my closest friends. I just spent this past weekend in NY with my girlfriend (FOTO alum) and a bunch of old head FOTO alums all from 5-10 years ago that danced for FOTO! Talk to people! Don’t just hang out with the people you already know. Branch out, meet new people, and do an overnight shift – you’ll get to know each other, vibe, laugh, the time will fly by, no matter how bad your feet hurt.
I’ve told this story before but it may be new because I never was in college with any of you current FOTO members. But seriously, the reason you’re here, the reason you’re in FOTO, the reason you’re ready for THON – it’s all for the kids. My favorite memory of the kids in FOTO is with Logan and Matty. Before I was in FOTO, my older sister, Jessie, was, and Logan was going through chemo. You see Logan now, and you almost forget the battles he faced. But on his last day of chemo, when he beat cancer, he was in tears, asking his mom, "Does this mean I won’t get to see FOTO anymore because I don’t have cancer?" In his darkest days, after everything he went through, he was more worried about missing FOTO than anything else.
When someone asks you why you do THON, or why you’re in FOTO, think about that. Think about how much you all mean to these families and the family I haven’t even met yet.
Then there’s Matty, who was also going through chemo when I was involved in FOTO. I remember being at the Tramels’ house, complete chaos everywhere – toys, nerf bullets, screaming. And Matty, calm as could be, said, “Hold on.” He went to the bathroom, threw up, washed his hands, and came right back to play. In that moment, I realized just how strong these kids are. No matter what was going on in my life – stress, exams, whatever – Matty was fighting cancer with a smile on his face. The strength of our FOTO families is unmatched, and we should all try to live with that kind of bravery. When you’re tired at THON, when your feet are aching in the stands, or when you’re having a rough day – remember their incredible strength.
I love all of you – even the ones I haven’t met yet – because you’re carrying on a legacy that means the world to me. Good luck, I’m proud of you, and I know you’ll crush at the BJC with the Eagles as Super Bowl Champions!!!
