Week 14: Atlanta, GA & Birmingham, AL

November 27-30, 2023

For week 14 of the #PowerBetter road show tour, I worked with the Atlanta district to plan and execute their events in Atlanta, Georgia and Birmingham, Alabama.

Key Takeaway: This week was a very bittersweet one as it was my final week traveling with the road show tour. While I’m excited to get back in a routine and sleep in my own bed, I am sad that this once-in-a-lifetime experience is coming to an end. I am so thankful for this opportunity on a professional level, significantly expanding my network, improving my project management skills, and learning more about how to interact directly with customers. I also gained a lot on a personal level, getting the chance to explore new regions of the country and create so many fond memories. I also want to thank everyone that has been keeping up with my travels and checking in on me as I go, it made the experience so much more enjoyable to share with my friends and family along the way.

Favorite Food: In Atlanta, my favorite food that I had was the chicken tenders from Ponko Chicken, shoutout to Drew for the recommendation! While it sounds silly, these are probably the best chicken fingers I’ve ever had, and am already craving them again. In Birmingham, I had the Sweet Tea Fried Chicken Sandwich from Saw’s BBQ. The sandwich had white barbecue sauce on it, an Alabama staple.

Highlights: I had such a memorable last week filled with exploring in both cities. In Atlanta, I visited the Georgia Aquarium and the College Football Hall of Fame. The aquarium is incredible, filled with so many beautiful exhibits, one of them even containing two whale sharks. I enjoyed the College Football Hall of Fame more than I thought I would, as you get to associate your ID badge with your favorite school, so my experience was all customized towards NC State. There’s so much there to interact with while touring the hall, such as filming your own clip for a College Game Day skit to kicking a field goal. Birmingham may actually be one of my favorite cities on the tour, and the Homewood area was such a cute Main Street vibe filled with so many boutiques and restaurants, all decked out for the holiday season. I visited the Vulcan State Park, home to the largest cast-iron statue in the world, and watched a beautiful sunset from the hilltop. Overall, I couldn’t have asked for a better week to end the tour on.