A Has-Been's Reality

    So as I was consulting my "rainbow" (aka calendar, I call it my rainbow because of my OCD I have to color coordinate my different classes and events so that I can keep as organized as I can), I realized that in just a little over a week, Idaho will kick off their State Leadership Conference.
    I had three reactions: 1) Wow it has been a year since I took off my blue jacket and balled like a baby in front of 800 people and replaced my officer pin with a Post State Officer Pin. 2) Crap, I got to pack, double crap, I don't really own any clothes that aren't stained with cow or horse manure and is PSO at State Convention worthy. 3) I have barely posted anything that would help my FFA peeps have a better week in good 'ole Twin Falls.
    So I devised a plan. 1) I would have to go shopping on the minimal extra spending money that my poor college student budget could squeeze out. 2) Blog, blog, blog and have a "State Leadership Conference is coming and it is exciting!" marathon of need to knows before you leave for state. 3) Reminisce about my time in the jacket with all y'all.
   For the next few days, keep watching here for tips and words of wisdom.

              Tomorrow- Make up tricks that make you look hot while still classy in the jacket

Thursday- Tossin' it back with my favorite State Convention memories and photos

Friday- I will walk you through the perfect FFA hairdo and classic fav of all State Officers 

Monday- Guest blogger.. drum roll.... Erin Rhodes, former Idaho State Reporter talking to all those running for State Office

Tuesday- I will talk to the State Officer Candidates and drop some more wisdom on them 

It is a crazy awesome week that demands crazy amazing posts! Keep watching out. 

      Now all I have to do for said plan is to reminisce about the events of a year ago. As a state officer, there are five singular moments of your entire career that you dedicate to yourself. That is your retiring address. When I was trying to think of what I wanted to express on my last five minutes in office, I wanted people to know my story but take that story and help themselves become the person that they wanted to be. When it was all said and done, I knew that the finished product, would hopefully inspire many people, but in the end, the only person I wanted to inspire was myself. I sat in that convention hall years later, wishing I could be half the leader that those individuals were that were up on that stage. Five years later, I had achieve the person that I longed to be. And with my retiring address, I wanted to show myself, and others who didn't believe in me, who tried to shove me down, who verbally beating me down by telling me that I wasn't a good leader, that I was a person who could endure and become a leader that thousands of people looked up to. 

   But as I compiled and rehearsed my retiring address, so many times that my roommates could recite it word for word, I realized that I wold soon be ending a career to which I had given my all. Soon, I would be left jacket-less and lost in a world that I had only coped in with FFA. When expressing my concerns of being able to live in a world without FFA all day every day to a very close friend, he simply stated, " Maybe it is time to hang up the blue jacket and trade it for a sundress." That comment hit me hard, and I carried it as I finished out my time in office. On the final day of convention, after all the members that flooded the convention hall had loaded on their buses and treked home, I slipped of my jacket, put on a sundress, and replaced my jacket on the hanger that once held that dress. With a tear soaked face, I laid my courderoy on the back seat of my car and went to great the new state officers. That was a moment that changed me. And as I sit here and write this post, I can't help but be grateful for the experiences that FFA has given me over my time in the organization. I love this organization so very much and owe a lot of my success and passion for all things agriculture. Without the emblem on my back, I don't know if I would be the person that I am today. 

    I look forward to getting the next few posts out to y'all. Watch out too for a short clip of my retiring address. Let the count down begin!

As always,

Peace, Love, and FFA!

McKenzie - The Has-Been

P.S. I would love to know what the peeps think of this blog. Like it? Hate it? Helpful? Feel free to comment and let me know what you think or send me an e-mail at ffahacks@gmail.com! Looking forward to hearing from all y'all!

Just Hit Play

     There has been quite a few people who have asked me how I handle some of the stress that I have subjected myself to. I have also been asked how I am able to study for long periods. Both have the same answer: music. Throughout the day, there is rarely a time that I am not listening to music. I listen to it as it get ready so I can gauge my time and get pumped for the day. I listen to it as I go running. I listen to it as I do homework and study. I love music. And don't let the little country girl persona fool you, I really like ALL sorts of music. My poor iPod is borderline schizophrenic. My team always laughed at me because we would always have music on in the truck when we were traveling and one minute we would be listening to "Mama's Broken Heart" and then (no judgement on my music choices people) "Cyclone" would que up next.

     Confession time. First off, I love Taylor Swift. Okay, I said it. I am no longer a closet fan. And of all her songs that I love the most, "Shake it Off" takes the cake. Now don't get me wrong, I boycotted that song for the longest time and it kind of annoyed the heck out of me but after my aunt showed me a video of a police officer lip-syncing to it (and if you haven't seen that video, go find it because it is freaking hilarious), I have been a fan. Whether it is when I am walking on campus, studying, or running, the song has the uncanny ability to make me smile. Just something about that song just makes me want to dance, let loose, and just have some fun. 

      Which leads to my second confession, I love to dance. Now there are times that I look good dancing, like swing dancing, times where I look like I am not having a seizure, and then there are times where I  look like a fish flopping on dry land. I gesticulate wildly and shake my butt like there is no tomorrow and just have a fun old time. 

    You are probably wondering what this has to do with stress relief and long term studying. Well they are all connected because my favorite place to listen to T-Swizzle and dance is on my desk chair. Yes people, a desk chair. A while back I picked up an old, wooden kitchen chair at my local D.I. to serve as a chair for my, at the time, newly acquired desk. One night after hours and hours of studying for three different midterms, I had the urge to stand up on my chair and interpretative dance to "Shake it Off". In my stocking feet, I twisted and slipped on the smooth surface while waving my hands in every which way and lip-syncing, exaggerating the words with the occasional odd face. After dancing to two or three songs, I was ready to sit back down and study for a while longer. 

     I did something similar to this while I was in State Office. When I woke up, I would turn on some music and would use that to get ready for the day. Even to this day, before I give a workshop, I have music playing in the room so while I am setting up, I can dance around the room and get pumped to teach my peeps. 

    Now I know that this post doesn't have a specific FFA hack. But the point behind this one is that you remember to have a little bit of fun. When studying for Dairy Foods, I spent hours studying my flash cards. I would study so hard that I would psyc myself out when it came time for the test. And furthermore, music sets your mood. When I wake up I am not listening to sad love songs by Rascal Flatts, I am listening to Cher Loyd, Eric Church, Taylor Swift, Iggy Azalea, etc. I get pumped and get happy. All in all, music keeps me going. 

     

     If you were wondering what my top 18 songs to dance to, they are: 

Disclaimer, some are not appropriate for certain audiences. Use discresion and please don't judge me for my music preferences. I am an adult and am responsible enough to choose my own music and I hope that you guys can be adult enough to also. 

" All About That Bass" - Meghan Trainor

"Bartender" - Lady Antebellum

"Brave" - Sara Bareilles

"Compass" - Lady Antebellum

"Dark Horse" - Katy Perry

"Gentle On My Mind" - Glen Cambell - The Band Perry Cover

"Giddy On Up" - Laura Bell Bundy

"I Ain't Your Mama" - Maggie Rose

" I Wish" - Cher Loyd ft. T.I.

"Pretty Girl Rock" - Keri Hilson

"S&M" - Rihanna

"Secrets" - Mary Lambert

"Shake it Off" - Taylor Swift

"Somethin' Bad" - Miranda Lambert with Carrie Underwood 

"Talk Dirty" - Jason Derulo ft. 2 Chains

"Trumpets" - Jason Derulo

"What the Hell" - Avril Lavigne

"2 Reasons" - Trey Songz ft. T.I.

  

Now of course there are more that suit my fancy but these are the main favorites.

 I hope that by just learning to live life and just dance sometimes that studying for your upcoming competition, greenhand test, or even just studying in general, can become that much less painful. 

"I Hope You Dance" - Lee Ann Womack (ha cheesy I know)

Peace, Love, and FFA!

McKenzie

Ode to New Officers

     FFA has many seasons, and one of my favorites (what am I kidding they are all my favorites) is banquet season. It is a time where we celebrate all the things that we have accomplished but it is also a new beginning for great things to come to pass. I have attended several banquets, as both a person being announced as a new officer, as a retiring officer, as a visiting District Officer, and as a State Officer. They are all packed with great memories and nerves and emotions, and after it is all said and done, there is a brief moment of uncertainty. "What if I don't do a good job?" "I don't know how to do the duties that this office needs me to do?" "What if I can't get along with my teammates?"
    Well people, these are all very understandable questions, as are your feelings about this being such a crazy, exciting, scary, new thing that you are about to go through.
    First off, don't worry. Being scared about this whole new ordeal will just cause you to have panic attack. Take a deep breath. Matter of fact, take one with me now. Breathe in. Breathe out. Now with your fresh air, realize how lucky you are. You are one of just a few that are chosen to serve you chapter (and/or district).  There are qualities that make you different from everyone and when mixed with the qualities of those on your team, the group of you can do great things. That being said, don't expect everyone on your team to be like you, think like you, feel like you, understand like you, and always agree with you. I can tell you, that it will rarely happen that you all think the EXACT same way. It is your differences that make you a team. As a State Officer, we took a test that showed our top 5 character traits. There was some overlapping traits, but I was the only one who had Focus. This proved to be difficult when it came time to planning because the topic would stray so far off from the original path so fast I would get whiplash. "Listen to this song!" "Did you see what so-and-so said on Facebook?" "Look! Watch this cat video!". And in the end, it was my focus that helped us get things done. Although it was rough sometimes, it made us a great team.
      Be humble. You were chosen by the selection committee because they think you will do good at the job. Just because you are an officer doesn't mean you are better than anyone else. Expecting people do treat you different is not a good trait of a good leader. If you do your job right and do the best you can, your members will look up to you, and to me, that is the best kind of attention any leader can ever receive.
    A lot of times, the title you hold is more important than the fact that you are on the team. And often within teams individuals think that they are more important or more in charge because of a certain office. That, in my opinion, is not very true. Granted, certain titles require more responsibilities but those responsibilities do not mean you are better than your teammates. Furthermore, you were all chosen because you best fit the needs of that position. This constitutes that each officer needs to pull their own weight. After all, what good is a team when just one person is doing all the work.
    As a favorite past time of all Ag teachers, bless their hearts, procrastination can either cause people to pull together or make things fall apart. It never fails, you go through the calendar at the beginning of the year and set dates for events and are told that planning for the events will happen X-amount of days in advance. In all reality, it isn't until the few days before that any progress gets done. Procrastination is something that can hinder you or your event from being the best it can be. Understandably you won't spend a month planning the Christmas Ginger Bread House Competition, but you might use that time or more to plan the Harvest Dance. Customize your time for the event. Even if you aren't planning something, don't put off your duties. Sophomore year of high school, I was in charge of the chapter scrapbook. I know how  much time and effort that it took to put that together good enough so that it can even be able to compete. In the years following, I watched as my predecessors wait until the last minute to put together the scrapbook and I have seen the stress that it causes. Moral of the story, give yourself time to do your best and create something great for your members.
    All of the things that I have said, are just simple reminders, but I think that the most important thing that I could ever tell any new officer are these three things: remember you are there to serve your members, give everything your all, and don't forget to have some fun. Your members are the reason that you are in the position that you are and it is your job to serve them. Don't become lax when it comes to your officer duties, because when you do it is your members that are the ones who suffer. But in the end, FFA will provide some of the best memories of your life and you should enjoy them. Often I forgot that aspect and took things way too serious. Enjoy all the things that are about to happen to you. Being an officer is the greatest thing that could have happened to you. Good luck, enjoy, and have a great year!

Peace, Love, and FFA!
McKenzie
   
   
   

Survival Kit 101

     When I started FFA, I soon discovered that no matter what, there are a few things that you cannot live without. But as a high school freshman, for the life of me I could never remember to pack my lint roller and enough pens and pencils to survive the week long trip. Come on y'all, let's be honest, we all forget these things. Matter of fact, my mom (and honorary advisor and taxi driver) got a desperate call from my actual advisor on the way to Greenhand test and Dairy Cattle Judging  to bring them pencils because the entire bus forgot them.
    But as we all know, it isn't just the pen that are often needed. A couple of my favorite forgot or essential items are:
    - Nail Polish (clear)
    - Bandages
    - Neosporin
    - Head Ache Medications
    - Lint Roller
    - Fingernail File
    - Chaptstick/ Lipgloss
    - Bobbypins
    - Ponytail Holder
    - Breath Mints
   Now obviously there are a few that some could do without and there are some that could be added to that list. But notice, the majority of those things on that list are things that you need them when you need them, not when you get back to the hotel room. And honestly people, your FFA jacket's pockets are like dark black holes. There have been many a time where I have put on my jacket after a long dry spell and have found money, my favorite lipgloss, even my favorite pair of earings. Often times, I lost all desire to find something essential at the thought of digging through the crumpled notecards from my extemporaneous speech a few weeks ago, reminder postit notes, and folded up leadership tip papers given at one conference or another. We ALL have this problem, don't lie.
   So I created the Survival Kit.
   I simply just took all the the above and placed it in a sandwich size plastic baggie. By using travel sizes, I was able to keep the bag flat enough that it would conviently fit right inside of my left inside jacket pocket. It is relatively cheap and very much so nice to have. I have attached pictures showing exactly what I put in and how I organized it. Now some materials may vary for individual use, but what you need, you only have so much pocket space.

   Note: When it comes to your kit additions, it is up to you what you choose. I like the Sally Hansen clear finger nail polish because it is fast drying and I don't have to worry about it being tacky and getting all over my skirt. I also like the little  mints that come in the handy little rolls, they aren't as bulky and they are quiet to be able to open when the situation requires stealth. And as far as your writing utensils, I bought a pack of like 100 pens for a dollar and those suit me just fine, but I love my mechanical pencil. That way I don't have to worry about having a sharp pencil or having my lead break. Disclaimer, if you decide to use a mechanical pencil, make sure that I has enough lead or even add a package of lead to your kit. And when it comes to your lint roller, never place the roller in the bag with a fresh layer, the stickiness will make it next to impossible to remove from the bag with any sort of ease.
     Remember, it is completely up to you what you put in. I strongly suggest the chapstick, headache meds, lint roller, pencil, and breath mints and if you are a lady, definitely the nail polish.

    As you can see, I just arranged my items in the bag. I know that the bag isn't tall enough that my finger nail file and lint roller will be able to be zipped in, and if you like, you can get a quart storage freezer bag, they are taller and have a little better seal while still being compact enough to fit in your pocket. Now remember, bulky pockets are a huge no no. Don't stack and fill your bag too full or you will have awkward lumps and will have to dig through to find what you need, making the whole kit moot. The compactness also helps when you are competing in a speaking competition or doing interviews because you can just pull it all out of your pocket as a whole and then place it right back in without having to gather all sorts of small little objects.
   Hopefully this kit can help you out just as it did for me and a couple of my FFAmily members. If this is one thing that you do off this blog, this would be the thing that I suggest whole heartedly.
 
And as usual,
Peace, Love, and FFA!
McKenzie

More Than a Name on a Jacket

     Something that I have said throughout my time in the jacket is that it isn't the name that is stitched on the front and the back, but it is the person who wears the jacket who is important. So with that being said, I want to let you know a little about me. I grew up in Caldwell, Id where I lived close (aka across the field) from the family dairy farm. All growing up I had a great love of agriculture and, of course, all things dairy cows. This pushed me to want to be involved with my local FFA chapter.
    However, this required me to leave my school of 200 students K-12 to go to the public high school where I would be just one of 1800 students. Lordy Moses I was shocked. But as fate would have it, when I did transfer, the chapter FFA president complimented my boots in the picture line and an FFA fanatic was born. Because of this traumatic shift in environment, I became a mute. So long story short, I competed in Creed and then the door was opened. I began to immerse my self in all things that involved the blue jacket.
   To save you all the gory details, my FFA history is below:
Offices Held: 
                        Chapter Historian
                        Chapter Secretary
                        Chapter President
                        District Treasurer
                        State Treasurer
Favorite CDE's:
  Dairy Foods all the way! Like, there isn't even a single CDE that can compare to Dairy Foods. I love it so much and I am so picky about my dairy products that my advisor refers to me as the "Dairy Queen" and the "Cheese Whiz".
Fun/Interesting Fact:
-  I have never paid for a jacket, my chapter paid for my chapter and district and then sponsors paid for my state jackets.
-  I wore the same pair of shoes throughout my whole FFA career and during State Convention, I wobbled weird and I broke the heel. I then proceeded to call my Dad who ever so kindly bought super glue and repaired my heel so I could finish out my FFA life with those shoes. I am bound and determined that I will put them in a shadow box.
-  I went to school (and still attend) at Utah State University while I was serving as a State Officer. For those of you who aren't good at Geography, Utah is a different state. I chose to attend school because I was accepted into the Pre-Vet program there and if I were to take a year off, it would put me at a huge disadvantage. So I do good at being busy, and as expected, I was nothing but. I loved every minute of that though.
- I attended the Utah State Convention and there were two Mississippi State Officers were also visiting so then I got the opportunity to travel to Mississippi to go to their State Convention. I love the South and honestly cannot wait to go back.
Favorite Things About State Office:
   I think that the most amazing thing that a State Officer gets to do is do workshops. I love putting them together and then teaching them to all the students. I get such a thrill out of it. But deep deep down, my favorite part about workshops is putting them together. And when I say that, I mean Mr. Sketch markers and flip charts. If you don't know what Mr. Sketch markers are the GREATEST creation known to man. Period.

Anywhoo, that is enough about me, lets get onto the hacks that help your FFA life become a lot easier.

Peace, Love, and FFA.
McKenzie
   

When the Gavel Taps

"This meeting will now come to order."

     There is nothing more exhilarating than hearing that gavel hit the podium. No matter if you are competing or just giving opening ceremonies, or for some even both, the opening continues to give goosebumps. 

    If you are anything like me, no matter how many times you say or hear opening ceremonies, you get giddy. It's not only because you are anxious to get the CDE under way, it is because you love FFA and opening ceremonies is just another glorious piece of the puzzle. And if you are saying opening ceremonies, it is a whole new set of nerves, and I'm sorry to say guys, that doesn't change. 

    I have said opening ceremonies more times than I can remember in five different positions. All had the same feelings of nervousness. 

     Now, you are probably wondering, "Why in the heck is she rambling on about Opening Ceremonies of all things?" Well, it just so happens I know a lot about opening ceremonies and all things FFA. I have also picked up a few "hacks" along the way (see.. hence the name). 

     When I was in State Office, my teammate and I would joke around that I should write a book to help out FFA members. Well I have come to discover that 1) I don 't have the time. 2) I don't have the patience to sit down and write a book. 3) And for the love of cheese and crackers, FFA members are too busy studying for their CDE's and don't have time to read a whole book. Ta-Dah! A blog was born. 

   So moral of the story, I am creating this blog to show you all the nifty things that I have learned along my now six years involved with the jacket. Even though I am a has-been, I hope that my weekly hacks can help you make the most of your FFA career.
   If you have any deep burning questions or suggestions for a hack feel free to e-mail me at ffahacks@gmail.com. 

Peace, Love, and FFA!

McKenzie