GSU Blog Series: My Experiences, Sophomore Year

This is a series of blogs regarding Georgia Southern University, my alma mater. I attended GSU from the Fall of 2007 until May, 2012, when I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology. These blogs will reflect facts and opinions in regards to various things I experienced, saw, or heard of while at GSU. 

I'm not a credible news source, however I do check my facts before writing them down. Below the blog, I credit the conversations with people, if any, that played a hand in shaping the body of this blog. If you have any issues with what is being said, please feel free to contact me.

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Alright, I'll cut out all the excess, and we'll get straight into this.
 

So I eluded a bit yesterday about my roommate situation. Sophomore year was a lot better in that regard, because I got to room with someone I actually wanted to room with. He in fact was the one person I knew at GSU before I started going there, and I relied on him a great deal when I first got to Statesboro. He was a year ahead of me in school, and most of my interactions with him mostly dealt around Marching Band. He was one of the 2 drum majors my Junior Year, so obviously a lot of times I needed to report to him for things. It worked out.

Going into the roommate situation, I guess you can say I knew him, but I didn't know him super well. I mean, we were friends, but by no means did we hang out a lot. We both worked hard (we were both Music Education majors at the time, more on that coming), so there was that. But he's still a cool guy, definitely. But going in, it wasn't the case of the best friends who room together. 

But, it was probably one of the best roommate situations I knew of. At least, on my end. I never had a single complaint... other than the fact he got the room with the shelves in the bathroom.

Cambridge at Southern is located right on the bus route on Lanier Drive, literally within walking distance from Paulson Stadium. We lived in a 2-bedroom apartment building not far from the clubhouse, with a massive parking lot right by our place. Of course we lived on the top floor... we both preferred living above the noise versus below it, although I feel like our parents would have preferred us living on, say, the 1st floor.

Our 2 bedroom was quite spacious. Nice sized living room, nice sized kitchen, and of course we each had our own bathrooms off our bedrooms. The washer was closer to my room, but I was also right by the front door, which I didn't mind too much.

I say he was the perfect roommate because we literally never got into any substantial disagreements. I mean, of course we would disagree about things, but it was never about anything that was important. We respected each other spaces, we did hang out in the apartment, cook, shop, all that stuff. We both discovered our love for milk (leading us to always having at LEAST 2 gallons of milk in the fridge at any given point). We both kept the place clean. It was the perfect scenario. 

We lived together for almost 3 years. I remember when it came time to resign our lease, it was almost a no-brainer to renew our lease. Although there was that one time we both contemplated both moving into a new apartment complex because we were getting slightly annoyed with some antics in Cambridge, but even then we would have continued to live together. I think that's pretty cool. It's almost rare to find a great roommate you'd want to live with for almost your entire college career.

Given he was a year ahead of me school-wise (and my later major change affected things too, more on that below), he moved out once he completed his Bachelor's in December of 2011, and I got a new roommate.... but you'll have to wait to hear about that. I admit, I was sad to see him go. It was so routine to see him, share a living space with him, I had definitely gotten use to it. Plus, we were a part of the same organizations and activities, so we saw each other a lot. He was pretty cool. 

Now, my Sophomore year was marked by 2 significant events that happened: joining Tau Beta Sigma, and being "removed" from the Department of Music. Both are pretty important milestones, as they kind of shaped the remaining, eventual, 3 years of my degree program.

Now, as stated, I was a Music Education major to this point. I started at GSU with that degree, something I never fully had familial support with, unfortunately. It was what I enjoyed doing, and I wanted to be happy, so I chose my career path. 

The further I got into it, the more I enjoyed it. At the same time, it was an opposite effect, a "yang" effect if you will, that always left the bug in my mind: "Am I really good enough to be able to teach music in a school setting? Am I cut out for this?" But, I always persevered and continued to follow my heart. 

To this point, I felt like I was making progress. It seemed like there was always a barrier in my way that I had to overcome, but I always made my way over it, and kept going. The more I got into the Music Ed program, the more I loved it. I discovered I had a great eat for Sight-Singing and Ear-Training, my Music Theory developed quite well, I discovered a renewed connection with Piano, something my mom loved and I wanted to get into, and I loved the Education side where I got to see first hand teachers in their natural environment. I was fortunate enough to see two high school music programs.... one band, and one chorus. Knowing what I was going to be up against, I took them with stride, and did my very best, always earning top marks, or close to them, when it came to observing in the field. 

But one thing that apparently was a struggle was my instrumental playing on Clarinet. 

To come from the high school I went to, and then suddenly be thrown into a huge pit with a conglomerate of people was a daunting sight. For the first time I saw people who were better than me, and while it was a goal I aimed for, ultimately it was VERY intimidating.... even scary / nightmarish at times. But, again, I kept going at it, hoping I could reach that level. 

Spring Semester, 2009.... At the end of the semester, after doing everything I could do to make myself a better Clarinetist, I was pulled into a meeting with two of the Woodwind professors, and basically told at that time.... I didn't have what it took to be an effective, promising Music Educator, because my Clarinet skills weren't progressing like they should. 

Even right now as I type that... tears are in my eyes, and there's a huge lump in my throat. 

I should also note that this entire situation came as a complete surprise. Even now, I think about if I had any warning, any fore-sight into this, and to my credit, I cannot find it. At all.

Now, mind you, I thought this was my warning. This was my warning that I needed to get into gear and do what I needed to do. Mind you, it should have been done all along, but I thought that I would get at least one more shot. 

Nope. 

I got a letter over the summer after the end of my Sophomore year officially removing me from the Clarinet Studio. Therefore, the only way I could stay a Music Education major would be to find another instrument I was proficient at. I didn't want to switch to Choral, as I felt like I didn't have what it took to be a vocalist. And as far as another instrument, the Clarinet was all I knew... and well. 

That was the final battle. And I lost. 

I landed on my feet relatively quickly. It was a no-brainer to switch to IT. I had thought about a switch before, but I didn't do it because I thought it would simply be taking the easy way out and doing something I could easily do, or so I thought. I also contemplated moves to Psychology and Criminal Justice, things I still think about and wonder about from time to time. 

It was rough for me, because all my friends were Music majors at the time; we were kind of a close-knit family. I didn't know much else. I didn't DO much else, to be honest. It was rough to think I wouldn't be with them, be around them anymore. I could still see them, but we were in ALL the same classes together, and with the exception of one person, all instrumentalists. So it was rough to think about not being around them, and having to start over somewhere else in a completely new major. I just hoped I could make it work. 

So the other part of my Sophomore Year journey.... and the happier part of this post, which is why I saved it for last..... was becoming a Membership Candidate, and ultimately joining Tau Beta Sigma, a co-ed National Honorary Band Service Sorority. 

Yes, I joined a sorority. And I'm damn proud of it. Because it's amazing. 

I do emphasize co-ed though, since people forget that sometimes. 

I could write a novel about the organization itself, which is totally unnecessary. If you followed my life at all, you would already know that I pretty much breathe, eat, sleep, dream about TBS. When I think about the process to that point, it makes me laugh like crazy. 

I started going to meet-the-chapters (MTCs) as a Freshmen at GSU. My dad encouraged involvement in activities on-campus, and the Eta Xi chapter looked the least-bit intimidating. Plus, I had a new friend, Amanda Riley, who had just joined as well. She always talked about how nice and amazing the people were, and just how great of an organization it is. I definitely credit her with my final joining of TBS. 

I went to anywhere from 9 to 12 meet the chapters across my Freshmen and Sophomore years at Southern. At first I went because I was urged to go, but then I went because I was genuinely interested. I had this hidden fear of what the people would be like, and given at the time I could easily be intimidated by anything (remember, I was definitely a shy person at the beginning of my college career). But over time, I began to see that this was truly something amazing. 

So I made the plunge to join Tau Beta Sigma as a Sophomore in the Spring of 2009. 

Needless to say, I learned a great deal. Obviously I'm not going to tell you everything. But I will say that I enjoyed all the aspects of my membership process... even the bad ones. It helped that my roommate (remember him from above?) had just joined TBS the semester before I did, so it was pretty simple to ask for any help I needed by simply going into his room whenever he was at home and not busy. PLUS, I got to know everyone in the chapter. It was pretty evident that my dedication and attention-to-detail, plus my drive to be successful, was what I think drove me through everything. 

But the one thing I loved about it was getting to know my fellow Membership Candidate, or MC. Given, there were only 2 of us. But we were the best 2-person MC class ever!

I remember starting off, not knowing much about Kristin. We were both Clarinet majors at the time, but she was a year ahead of me year-wise. We had Theory III and Theory IV together, but that was about it. 

When I say we got to know each other during this process.... I mean... we truly bonded together as friends. She is probably one of the greatest people I know, and one of the best friends I could ask for. Sure, we had our moments where we wanted to kill each other, I have no doubt. She got on my nerves, and I got on her nerves. But at the end of the day, we pulled through together, and on top of that, grew closer and truly understood (and understand) the meaning of the word "bond."

There are a lot of memories I have of our MC class, which I will definitely leave between me and her. There's just too many to list anyway. But I feel like we had an experience that could not, and cannot be matched by anything else or anyone else... I dare to say, we had an experience that cannot be matched by any other MC class. That's just how I feel though. 

TBS had a lot to do with the remainder of my time in college. It shaped a lot of things, allowed me to experience a lot of things, and most of all, it brought along a new, revitalized sense of familiarity. Timing it with my departure from the Department of Music, I found my new music outlet and a way to stayed involved with something I cared about. 

I mean... that's pretty much the important parts of my Sophomore Year. I mean, Marching Band was Marching Band in the Fall, I lived in my new apartment, I grew closer to new friends I made.... what else was there? The rest was a bonus. 

I will say, Junior Year changed EVERYTHING. And I feel like I grew and matured more as a human at the end of that year. 

I'll share that tomorrow with you all.