Hey Foto Fam!!!!
I’m writing this as the Phillies just advanced to their first World Series since 2009 when I was in fifth grade and so much has happened since then. Also Happy White Out! I hope it was (un)forgettable as all of mine are! Thank you snapchat memories for being my memory bank.
Anyway two things that happened to me since 2009 were going to PSU and becoming a member of FOTO. I remember the day I joined FOTO like it was yesterday. I was walking the involvement fair as an awkward bowl cutted freshman. When a familiar face (Joe D’Imperio pictured below…que the collective groans) said “hey man sign up for this.” And the next Monday I found myself in my first FOTO meeting and haven’t looked back since. I can’t believe I am writing one of these sappy glory days posts now as an official 2x washed up alum. (Do your 5 year master’s everyone it’s amazing to laugh at recent alumni pain trust me). But anyways FOTO was an incredible experience for me and I have gained so many friendships because of it and I couldn’t be more grateful for being lucky enough to spend 5 years as a part of the greatest THON org in the world. Which allowed me to solve the Opoid Crisis (S/O Jake Jurich) and successfully defend the true curvature of the Earth (0) among many other accomplishments.
One piece of advice I can offer is to enjoy every single second of it. Yeah sometimes the ice breakers are awkward and yeah sometimes you don’t feel like going to the meetings because of stupid things like homework or exams. But believe me every second you can have with FOTO is worth it because one day you could find yourself on a plane coming back home from Jamaica for spring break and finding out it was the last plane to leave the island before the borders and airspace were closed because of the first global pandemic since WWI. And then going through virtual THON and college.
So yes, when we alumni write this sappy ill-fated joke filled posts we do it because we would gladly drive the 3 hours to sit in one of these meetings again. I wish you all so much luck for THON coming up its closer than you think. For all new members I hope you have found your home. For returning members…don’t let Matt steal things. I can’t wait to see you all have the success I know you will have! All love.. Ring the Bell!!!
PS not a huge picture guy these are all (really) old and that is Jake MacAvoy’s mother I’m proposing too (she did say yes)
-Colin
