30 Day College/University Challenge

Day 1 - Which college was your number one choice? Are you going to that school? If not, how did you handle the rejection? If so, is it everything you always thought it would be?

The college I go to, Rhodes College, was my top choice. It's better than I thought it would be. I wasn't AT ALL excited about college. I don't like being forced to make new friends. But it turned out AMAZING.

Day 2 - What school do you go to? What is something that makes your school unique, or that makes the school special to you?

Well, I already said above that I go to Rhodes College. Uhhh... our fight song says "Roll Lynx, Roll" which is a reference to Lynxes vomiting and rolling in their vomit. I'm not sure if that's out of fear or mating, but it's a legit thing!

Day 3 - If you live away from home, share your moving day experience. If you commute, do you feel like you are missing out on a true college experience?

I'm currently at home, but I lived in the dorm during the school year. The only interesting part about my moving day is that the dorm I lived in is notorious for being extremely confusing to navigate. If you wanna see what I'm talking about, skip to about 3:55 in this video, and it shows people trying to traverse my dorm. The sad part is that I knew exactly where they were the entire time while watching this a minute ago. The part of the hall they ended their little quest in is actually where my best friend lived this year :)

Day 4 - Describe the best party experience you’ve had so far.

I actually don't do parties... But I did go to the "Neopolitan" party my music theory professor threw, where we ate ice cream and played Apples to Apples. It was a lot of fun.

Day 5 - Who is the best friend you’ve met at college? How did you meet and what sort of adventures have you had?

I actually have 2 best friends. Sarah and I were in the same advising group and I saw her at the Freshman BBQ at the house of our college's President. We started talking about Harry Potter and A Very Potter Musical, and the rest is history. I met Erin in the common room of our dorm. One night, we and a guy named Bryton stayed up all night playing mario kart and watching horror movies and from then on, we became besties. We've had all kinds of fun adventures. My favorite is the time we randomly 'stole' a pineapple from the cafeteria, climbed the geosphere, rode the lynx, and stuck the pineapple on the lynx's ears.

Day 6 - If you live in the dorms, tell us about your roommates/floormates.

I did live in the dorms. I had a so-so roommate experience. We got kinda stuck together when the people we were supposed to room with decided in July that they weren't going to Rhodes. We're totally different people. I was totally anti-sorority, and she was in the school's stereotypical party sorority. And while she definitely wasn't the worst partier, she definitely partied and there were a couple times our room smelled like vomit because she drank a bit too much. Overall, though, I was just glad that she had a boyfriend back at home and didn't bring any guys over. That's where I would've drawn my line. I'm really excited for next year because I'm living with Sarah and Erin in a triple, so it'll be a lot more fun.

Day 7 - What is your field of study? How did you come to this decision, and how many times have you changed your mind?

My major is a bridge major, which is basically a combination of two separate fields. I'm majoring in music and psychology. Originally, it was just going to be music, but then I got into a class called the psychology of music and it changed my life forever. I love it! 

Day 8 - How many years have you been in college?  How many more years until you complete it?

I just finished my first year, so I have 3 more years of undergrad. Then it's on to get my masters/doctorate. I know in some cases, masters is not required before doctorate, and I'm hoping that this is the case. 

Day 9 - Post a picture of your college.

I'll give you 3, because Rhodes is freaking gorgeous. 

Buckman Hall

Aerial view of campus (small reference, the picture was taken from somewhere right above Buckman)

Barret Library and Kennedy Hall

Day 10 - What has been your favorite class to take, and what made it so fascinating?

Definitely Psychology of Music. I had the same professor (my favorite!) for that class and music theory, and I like music theory but I slept through it many mornings. But I made 100% sure that I was awake for Psychology of music, because it was always so interesting to sit in that class and listen to all of these really cool theories about how music affects the brain.

Day 11 - If your college has sports teams, which sport is the most respected? Have they ever won a championship?

First of all, we're like in the lowest division of college sports because we're a tiny school. But our girls' basketball team won something pretty big this year.. not sure what. The only reason I halfway knew anything about it was because my roommate was on the team and I would always look up when they would have away games so I'd know when I'd get some alone time.

Day 12 - Which clubs and teams are you a member of? Do you remember how you got involved with these clubs?

I'm in the Rhodes Orchestra. I really wanted to do quidditch (yes, you read that correctly) but I didn't have the time. 

Day 13 - Is there anything that you imagined would happen in college, but now that you’re in college you realize that you were totally wrong?

I was a bit naive about how many people would drink and how much sex goes on. HOLY CRAP. STDs everywhere.

Day 14 - Which kinds of students are the most annoying to be in a class with?

There are many types... The sorority girls there on Daddy's money, the close-minded people who have to make their opinions heard constantly, and the kids who think they're smarter than everyone and comment constantly.

Day 15 - Share about the first boy/girl you’ve had a crush on since being in college. Where did you first see them? Where did you first talk to them? Did you date?

I haven't really had many "crushes" but there are certainly a couple guys who are really great eye candy. I can think of 2 or 3 upperclassmen guys who are really talented musically, and are also very attractive. My best friend and I do our whole middle school giggling routine and talk about them, but honestly, they're not guys I'd ever date. Most of them are nice guys though. There's one in particular who is our favorite eye candy, but we both agree that we'd never date him because of his personality. Not our type at all... honestly, personality-wise, none of them really are. They're just nice to look at.

Day 16 - What are your favorite things to do, when you aren’t in class or studying? (sports games, parties, etc.?)

This year, I got really close with the people in my dorm, and we had the best common room on campus, so we would always hang out in there.

Day 17 - Are you paying for college yourself? If so, are you using loans and scholarships?

My parents are paying, but yes, I do have a nice scholarship and a smaller loan. Otherwise I couldn't afford to go to Rhodes.

Day 18 - Show us a picture of your favorite place to hang out around campus.

Well, other than the common room, the best place to hang out is the Lair, one of 2 eating places on campus. My friends and I always like playing pool or ping pong in there.

Day 19 - What do you do during holiday breaks?

I go home and just chill. Except Easter break. I stay at school for that one.

Day 20 - What has been the toughest class you’ve taken so far? Are there any classes that you are not looking forward to?

I haven't taken any that were super hard. I guess the hardest was my first semester required Religious Studies course because it was almost entirely exam based. I'm not looking forward to my required science credit. At all.

Day 21 - Tell us about your favorite professor.

My music theory professor is the best :) She's totally nice and helpful and really friendly and fun to talk to. She's also my adviser. She had an end of semester party at her house this semester and it was totally fun and she has a yellow lab named Gracie who is just adorable :')

Day 22 - Tell us about your least favorite professor.
Well, since I've only had... eight professors (I've had 3 classes with my favorite professor, plus an orchestra professor, plus a private lesson teacher), the one I really disliked was the one who taught the class mentioned on #20. It was a bible course, so he had to realize that people would have opinions on it, and yet he was super condescending to any opinion that differed from his own and it was really rude and I didn't like him. I mean, when he talked about other things, he seemed friendly enough, but he was just really condescending about that.

Day 23 - Post a picture of yourself that encapsulates your college experience so far.

Me, and one of my best friends, Erin :)

Day 24 - Tell us about something interesting/funny that’s happened during class.

A lot of interesting things happened in my psychology of music class- like we listened to a couple seconds of a song and were asked if we could identify it. It was really fun and cool. 

Day 25 - Which did you enjoy more: high school or college?

Definitely college. It's nice to have more freedom, and you make friends A LOT faster when you're around people 24/7. 

Day 26 - What is something non-academic that you’ve learned at college?

That I really need to stop procrastinating!!!

Day 27 - Tell us about your worst experience from your college years.

Well, I've only been in college a year, but when I went to college, I'd been dating a guy for a year and a half, and he broke up with me three weeks into the semester and was dating another girl 2 weeks later. 

Day 28 - Did any of your high school friends go to the same college as you? If not, do you still talk to your old high school friends?

No, they didn't. I still talk to some of my friends from high school. Only the ones I was really close with, as well as people from where I used to go to church in Texas. 

Day 29 - Tell us about the most interesting person you have encountered at school or around campus.

Most interesting? Hmmmm... I'm not sure of the most interesting!

Day 30 - What are your favorite and least favorite things about college?

Favorite... Living in the dorms with my friends, and going to classes that I'm actually interested in. Least favorite... Dealing with people constantly partying and having to pay for things myself that my parents would normally pay for.