As some of you know, I spent the last few days in Vegas and got to hang out with some pretty amazing people. Needless to say, it was wonderful.

I walked through the front door of my apartment at 11 a.m. yesterday, and I’ve been struggling with the lack of sleep ever since, but I wanted to share some of the most important things I learned while in Sin City…

• Casinos appear to be close together. They aren’t. (Hello, long walk from the Luxor to the Venetian and back again.)
• Alcohol makes those walks better. Especially after you’ve been drinking wine with 25 people inside a trattoria in the Venetian that had the #1 public restroom in the country.
• You don’t have to attend a show in Vegas to have a good time. While others checked theirs our, some of us searched for a karaoke bar, then ended up at a piano bar.
• Breaking it down to one of the songs with the Bellagio fountain is welcomed and hilarious. Especially once the song ends and someone turns around to ask a member of your party who sang the song and what it was from. Hooray, show tunes!
• I’m not much of a gambler, but it was great to gamble with someone who had never done it before, even if we just played the slot machines.
• My dog is really popular.
• It’s OK to change names of restaurants to fit the evening better. Instead of Diablo’s Cantina, it is now Druken Diablos to those of us who spent an extended period of time there.
• Late night conversations are the best.
• Going to a buffet is fun because the food is tasty. Going to a buffet with 25 other people is fun because of the company you keep and the conversations you share.
• Southern girls aren’t afraid to get dirty to enjoy their food. Did y’all SEE us with those crab legs?
• It is acceptable to get a drink by the pool at 10 a.m. Vegas time because it’s noon back home.
• Hater tots taste good with mustard.
• I have a recognizable profile, soft skin and a distinct accent.
• It’s incredible how much you can learn about a person by simply spending time around them. And how sad it is to leave everyone until we meet again.

As I sit here and reminisce about the trip, it’s hard for me to believe it was real because it feels like time sped up for the weekend.

All that I know is that I am so happy I was able to make the trip happen and even happier to really get to know so many new friends. My words cannot do it justice. And I seriously cannot wait for the next time we (plus more friends!) converge in the same place because it will be just as, if not more, amazing.