What’s up, FOTO Fam?!
The time has finally come!! It’s the week of the best weekend of your lives, and I cannot wait for you all to experience the magic together! I’m so excited to be able to be up in those stands with the best org out there as a student one last time!
If you don’t already know me (totally my bad because I fell off the face of the earth as an old-head-fifth-year), my name is Jordan and I was last year’s actual president for THON 2022! I joined FOTO as a freshman and moved my way up to Liaison, Donor Relations chair, and President. I also got the honor to dance in the most unconventional THON ever in 2021 (long live the FOTO house)!
Like every other freshman at the involvement fair, I accidentally joined wayyyy too many GroupMes and mailing lists. FOTO was the very first meeting I went to and I automatically unsubscribed and left all of the other orgs I “joined”. The atmosphere and the people in this organization make it so much more than a club that raises money; it truly becomes a family that you absolutely never want to leave! This group of people have the potential to become your home away from home that lasts long after you leave college.
With THON weekend being here, I figured I’d leave you all with some pieces of advice to make it the best time ever!
Meet some new faces! It’s incredible how much you can learn about others in such a short amount of time, and I’ve definitely gained a lot of friends in those stands.
STAND YOUR GROUND! The more space for grooving and moving, the better, so save some room for friends and family to join FOTO throughout the weekend!
Be prepared to start some epic dance trends that spread throughout the stands! Choreographed dances are highly encouraged and make it so much fun!!
WALKS ARE YOUR FRIENDS! Go on walks with some buddies around the concourse or listen to your go-to pump-up songs! You want to keep limber, and those stands are brutal to stand on for a long period of time. Get your body moving to avoid cramping up!
DON’T FORGET YOUR HEADPHONES! There will be times when you absolutely need your own music (the hours-long back-to-back acapella series may get a tad repetitive), so make sure you bring a pair and it’s charged!
Overnight hours are a must!! They might sound like the worst thing ever, but they are for sure my favorite part of THON! The laughs and delirious fun is unmatched!
To the dancers: I could not be more proud of you guys! You’re going to enjoy every single minute of it! Remember why you’re dancing and who it’s for! Take advantage of every single opportunity given to you and soak it all in.
To the board: WOOHOO you did it!! It’s been a blast seeing how much you guys have accomplished this year, and it’s finally all coming together! All of your hard work is about to pay off, so don’t forget to take a moment to enjoy it!
To the members: Whether it’s your first or last THON, have the time of your lives! I haven’t seen a larger group of general members since I first joined FOTO (total full circle moment) and am so excited to see everything that you all do! This weekend would not be possible without your dedication and compassion throughout the year.
A huge congratulations to each and every one of you! I’m having a huge proud mom moment and may or may not be crying in the back of the room right now thinking about how this is my last time coming into THON weekend with you all! I cannot wait to see FOTO back on that big screen at hour 46! Happy THON, FOTO Fam! Let’s have ourselves a weekend!
