A day in the life of...A Greek girl in camo

Senior Danielle Buchholtz lives in a house with 19 other girls, spends a weekend each month driving trucks and could probably beat you in a game of arm wrestling.

It's safe to say, Private First Class Buchholtz is not the stereotypical sorority girl, considering she's also part of the National Guard. When Buchholtz is not busy serving her country or doing Delta Zeta events, she finds time for work, friends, family and being a history buff, with a major in public history and a minor in geography.

A typical day for Buchholtz would usually include two to three classes, a Delta Zeta event and some homework.

She's been proud to be a Delta Zeta for the last two years, while carrying on the family tradition because her mom was also a DZ.

"Delta Zeta was the most welcoming of all three sororities," Buchholtz said.

Buchholtz became involved in ROTC when she saw the booth at preview day.

"I wanted to be able to serve my country," she said.

Buchholtz eventually left the ROTC but stayed involved in the National Guard. She spends one weekend a month in the National Guard and two weeks in the summer.

Most army reserves stay in-state and help with national crises like Hurricane Katrina.

She is a participant in the tuition reimbursement program.

"The school benefits are amazing," Buchholtz said

She pays tuition and the state will pay it back at the end of the semester if she has a GPA average of a C.

Her job in the National Guard is a truck driver. She drives SMP trailers, which are like semi-trucks, and HUM V vehicles.

"I transport both people and objects," Buchholtz said. "Whatever is needed to be moved, I will move it."

Some people work out whenever they feel like it, but Buchholtz stays in shape to ensure passing her yearly Army physical test. The test consists of doing a two-mile run, two minutes of sit-ups and two minutes of push-ups.

National Guard job training can last anywhere from seven to 52 weeks.

"My job training lasted 16 weeks," Buchholtz said. "Nine weeks of basic training and six weeks of my truck driver training."

Buchholtz said the most difficult part of basic training was something called the Gas Chamber because recruits are held in a room filled with cry gas. It makes the eyes water and the throat dry.

How does Buchholtz find a way to manage her busy life and schedule?

"I have a calendar that's color-coded," she said. "There's not much time in a day."

As a Delta Zeta, Buchholtz is required to complete 10 hours of community service. She contributes to at least one philanthropy event a week for DZ. Their last event was Turtle Jam.

Buccholtz said the DZ's have a close sisterhood.

"It's like a huge family, almost a home away from home," she said.

Buchholtz and her sister were recently in a car accident where her car was T-boned, and she had to be cut out of the car by Jaws of Life. Luckily, she only had bruises to show off from the accident.

Even while telling of something so traumatizing, she seemed to keep a positive attitude and laughed because now she has to drive a Ford Winstar.

Buchholtz works at the Walworth County Gymnastics and Dance Center. She tries to relax in her free time and read or watch TV if she has the chance.