How the rules of surviving a zombie apocalypse apply to college life...

Rule #1: Cardio
You have to walk A LOT. And you have to walk EVERYWHERE!!!

Rule #2: Beware of Bathrooms
I cannot emphasize enough how important is is to wear shower shoes and avoid fungus. EW. And it's not weird to put down some toilet paper on the seat if it looks extra disgusting.

Rule #3: Seatbelts
Of course it is important to wear seatbelts, but in this case I am referring to the things that are there just in case... like counselors, chaplains, CA's, RA's, or whomever. They are there for you to keep you from recking yourself. :)

Rule #4: Double Tap
Always double-check your work before you turn it in. It will save you from getting a bunch of points taken off for stupid mistakes.

Rule #5: No Attachments
It is important to keep friends close to you, but do not let them interfere with your schoolwork or any major decisions you might have to make.

Rule #6: Travel in Groups
Study groups are a very good idea. People may know things that you missed and it is sometimes helpful to have something explained by a peer.

Rule #10: Be Quiet
There are quiet hours for a reason. Please respect them. Not only does it annoy people but it prevents them from studying or sleeping. You don't have to go around whispering all the time, but you should avoid running down halls screaming at the top of your lungs.

Rule #12: Don't Be a Hero
Don't try to be involved in EVERYTHING and don't try to remain the center of attention at all times. It takes up way to much time and energy and you have to LEARN TO SAY NO. You can't do everything.

Rule #13: Limber Up
You need to learn to accept diversity and see the perspective of other people. It's ok to disagree with people, but it is helpful to know why you disagree with them and recognize that their belief means as much to them as yours does to you.

Rule #24: No Drinking
Don't party so hard that you wil do something you regret or wake up in the morning and miss class. ESPECIALLY IF YOU PLAN TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL FUTURE!

Rule #32: Enjoy the Little Things
After being here a little while you begin to appreciate the little blocks of time when NOTHING is scheduled. And some days when you are a little bit ahead of schedule, walk a little slower to your class. Enjoy the sun and appreciate nature a little bit. Even learn to appreciate the little tastes of home you get like twinkies or paper snowflakes... :)

FINALLY!!!

This blog was originally created for my freshman student success seminar. That class has recently come to an end, so now I may ue this blog for whatever I want :) muahahaHAHAHahahaha...



I just decided I want to be ^This guy when I grow up... even though I don't plan on growing up...

I don't acually have all that much to say right now, but I will... oh I will... you just wait.

Introspection...

I'm not very good at speaking in public, but alone I say the most awesome things. Before I arrived at Converse, I was exactly the same person... on the inside, but I was not given the opportunities to let my creativity breathe out here in the real world. I spend a lot of time in my head. What I am currently trying to learn at Converse, is how to express myself in a manner that people with different thought processes can comprehend.

A lot of people shaped me into who  I am now. Of course there is my parents, who taught me morals and values, there are also many teachers that encouraged my odd way of thinking, then of course there are the best instructors I have ever had. Chris and Matt taught me so much about music just during practices for indoor percussion and marching band. Their main goal was to educate us and they definitely accomplished that.

If I stay a Music Therapy major or end up changing, no matter what I end up doing with my life, I will strive to rise to the top, driven by my innovative ideas. I will continue to let my mind run free even if that can sometimes cause problems... it also makes me who I am.

I am Caitlin Adair SickNasty Swetty Swett.
:)♫♥♪(:

I Friggin Love Traditions...

As this, the busiest week of my life, comes to a close, I have decided that my absolute favorite Converse tradition, even if it is a newer one, if definitely Humans vs. Zombies. It is the most fun I have had since I've arrived here at the lovely Converse College campus, because even after you are tagged by a zombie, then you get to form a little cult of zombies and go around stalking humans :) I thuroughly enjoy being a creeper.

Traditions are what give a college or organization it's personality. As a lover of both music and art, I think it would be extremely awesome if the school of music and the art department had a shared tradition. Once a year they could hold an event where a musician or ensemble would pair with an artist. All would be placed on stage and as the musicians performed, the artist would go to work painting a piece inspired by the music being played. The artist would hear the music before hand to get an idea of what they would paint, but would not paint before the performance itself. :)

♪♫Music tuned in, world tuned out.♥

We all have those songs that can lift us out of our most frustrated moods with just a few vocal lines or their nifty beats. My list is quite random and is ever changing. In my iTunes, it is simply labeled AWESOME PLAYLIST.

Among these songs are the following:
(Click on the name of the artist and it will take you to the video!)

  1. Burn it to the Ground- Nickelback
Let it Roll- Divide the Day
Know Your Enemy- Green Day
Livin' on a Prayer- Bon Jovi
(or anything else by Bon Jovi)

• These songs just get me PUMPED!!! No matter what mood I am in, these songs make me just want to DO something.

     2. Defying Gravity- Wicked

Blackbird- The Beatles

Get Through This- Art of Dying

• All three of these songs, though they have very different styles, are songs that just make me want to keep going no matter how difficult life gets. They rekindle the determination that powers my success. 

     3. Uninvited- Alainis Morisette
Broken Dreams- Shaman's Harvest

Hide and Seek- Imogen Heap

Success Montage- WANTED the movie

Will I- Rent
One Song Glory- Rent

• These songs put me in a deep and thoughtful mood for some reason and since I love being deep and thoughtful, these songs make me happy.

     4. La Vie Boheme- Rent
I'm Gonnna Be (500) Miles- The Proclaimers

Sleepyhead- Passion Pit

Tomato Soup- The Lonely Forest (this isn't the best video in the world)

Here is Goes Again- OK Go

• All of these are just quirky. I am quite quirky. Therefore me and these songs get along quite splendidly. They either put me in a very cheery mood or a very chill mood.

EPIC UNICORN

Let's Talk Controversy!

When it comes to the drinking age, a lot of people believe it should be lowered. I honestly do not have an opinion on the matter. I have the ability to see two sides to every debate and I just can't seem to pick one.

I WANNA PARTY HEARTY NOW!!! LOWER THE AGE!!!

 

So... I guess I can see why someone might want to lower the drinking age. Many argue that if you can go to war at the age of seventeen then you should be able to down a few. If young adults are not taught at a young age to drink in moderation, they will binge and this leads to DEATH and such... Some say that is the drinking age is lowered, it may become less appealing since it is no longer forbidden, because of course, we all want what we cannot have. Also, the current drinking age prevents young adults from drinking in bars and promotes drinking in unsupervised areas, where drinking is more dangerous and drinking too much is so much easier to do.

WHAT?! DRINKING?! WHAT HAS THE WORLD COME TO?!?!?!

*Gasp* So many tragic accidents have been caused by drunk driving. One can argue that not everyone who drinks goes off and drives irresponsibly, but it happens. The physical changes that teens undergo are not compatible with the effects of alcohol. It can cause them to do things they they would never do if not intoxicated. Our brains are not fully developed until around the age of 21. The younger a person starts drinking, the more likely they are to become an alcoholic.

As you can see, both sides have valid arguments. I myself have no interest in drinking and don't really care one way or the other...

FLock it up Freshmen!

(The following speech is just an example of a possible outcome to events that have yet to take place and may not be 100% accurate when said events actually occur.)

          Hi! My name is Caitlin Swett and I am here today to talk to you about my journey from freshman year up until now. The decision to be a music student is not an easy one by any means. Everyone is telling you how hard it will be, not only to find a job with your music degree, but obtaining that degree. Music students on campus are known for their hectic schedules and for their non-existent social lives. But don't let this scare you! Any time you think about just giving up or you just need a little extra encouragement to carry on, remember why you chose music in the first place. Never forget how it makes you feel. You live and breath music or you would have never made the choice to be here. I am currently a music therapy major and my primary instrument is percussion. Any questions so far?

"So you're a drummer?"

No. I am a percussionist. I play multiple percussion instruments and I can actually read music.

"How did you decide to major in music therapy?"

Well I was certain that I wanted to do something with music, but I wasn't quite sure what, so I did some research and came across music therapy. I was amazed at all of the things that music therapy could do. And I fell in love with the idea of changing someone's life through music.

"Have you ever had any doubts  about your major?"

Of course! I wouldn't have been human if I didn't. All  of that work for only a chance at having a career in music would make anyone doubt their choices. All of freshman year I was determined to switch to a performance major. Performing is what I love more than anything in the world an who wouldn't want to spend their life getting paid to do what they love? In the end, I stuck with music therapy, knowing I can always perform on the side for fun.

"How do you deal with all of the work that  comes with a music major?"

I'm still working on that one. If there are a million things you want to get involved in, try and narrow it down to the ones that are most important to you. Learn to say no. Also, KEEP A SCHEDULE. Get an academic planner and write down EVERYTHING. It takes some of the strain off of your brain. And always set aside some time for yourself, and when you are finding it hard to focus on your studies, just remember, you get to have fun later.

"So, overall you are pretty much awesome right?"

Why yes, yes I am.

I guess I could pencil in sleep somewhere in this calendar...

"Time. Since the beginning of time, mankind has pondered the question: 'What is time? And how does it function?'..."

Time Management: English n.  1.The management of time in order to make the most out of it.

I had to look the definition time management up on the internet, because this is a completely new concept to me. When is comes to time management, I have two major problems...

OVER-SCHEDULING

     Unfortunately there are only 24 hours in a day and I have a habit of scheduling about 36 hours of work and activities into a day. Right now I am working on completing 19 credit hours for this semester, 15 hours of practice for my percussion lessons, 30 minutes of piano practice a day, and 30 minutes of guitar practice per day. I also hope to audition and compete with Catalyst indoor percussion line this winter. I honestly had to put a tremendous amount of effort into not joining student government, the chorale, and the theater production of Dracula. I absolutely love to be involved in things and if I have empty space on my schedule I feel antsy like I should be doing something.

Now, for my second problem...

SHORT ATTENTION SPAN

     Most people complete these blogs in a matter of minutes. I take much longer to complete such a simple task. I'm not slow by any means. I actually tend to do things in a very rushed manner, but I am extremely easily distracted. I have stopped typing about fifty different times as i am creating this blog, because I see something, hear something, or start to daydream.

     Despite my profoundly obnoxious time management issues, I have found a solution that helps with both problems!!! It's called MULTI-TASKING. For example, last week, I did my laundry, listened to my listening assignment, wrote a paper, read multiple chapters of multiple books, and went over music in my head all at the same time. If I have multiple tasks in front of me to complete, then I can switch from one thing to another and not get bored. And by doing work while waiting on my laundry, I save time.

When faced with a horribly hefty schedule, my mindset is JUST GET IT DONE. I don't think this has ever failed me.

Hi! I'm awesome.

Yo! My name is Caitlin! I love music and everything about it! Converse is a beastly college! Now, enjoy my blog or Batman will get you...

Why the heck am I here?

One day while sitting in one of my many boring, non-musical classes, I started to ponder the question, "What the heck am I going to do when these days of monotony come to an end?". I've always been raised to plan on college after high school. Neither of my parents went to college because they had me when they were very young and they wanted me to better prepare myself for the world. My first plan was to become a famous rock star before I turned 18.\,,/-.-\,,/ My backup plan was to go to college and major in music. So here I am...

Why in the heck would I choose Converse... an all girls college?

To answer this question first i must tell you a story...

 When searching for the right college, I had no idea what I was looking for. The only thing I knew was that I wanted to major in Music Therapy. SO I decided to turn to my oh so faithful source, Google. I searched for colleges that offered Music Therapy as a major. There were only three even near my home and I didn't want to go more than an hour or two away.

I am a percussionist. For my audition, I had to memorize 40 snare rudiments, a snare solo, 12 major scales, and two marimba solos.

Charleston Southern- I found out the Charleston Southern didn't even offer scholarships for music. I decided that if a school didn't want to help out students who had talent and passion for something, then then going there would be a waste of my gift.

Queens University of Charlotte- Where do I begin on this school? It's almost impossible to list all of the frustrations caused by this school. I thought the campus was beautiful when I first got there. It was kind of small and was completely surrounded by roads and trees... but I liked it. Then I went inside. I was really disappointed. It looked like a high school. I thought it would look more awesome. I didn't expect paint peeling off the walls and such. They took me to me to a tiny practice room that was home to a snare and a xylophone... I can play a xylophone, but my piece was for marimba. 

Xylophone is boring. 

Marimba is awesome. 

They decided to borrow a marimba from a middle school nearby. It was a horrible marimba, but it was better than a xylophone. The snare that they had for me to audition on was two feet tall. It was for a drum set. So what did they do? They put it on a chair. Need I say more?

Converse: When I arrived on campus, it was breathtaking. There were beautiful trees everywhere. Everyone I met greeted me with a smile. I loved it. Not only did it seem like an amazing atmosphere in which to place myself, but everyone seemed to exude confidence. For my audition, they took me to their percussion studio that was full of awesome instruments including my favorite in the middle of the room. They had a beautiful 5 octave rosewood marimba just waiting for me to play it.

 Now I'm here and I love it. :)

Oh? We're in a Recession?! I think I'll choose a career in Music. ♪♫♪♫♪♫

When i was young, I realized that music can change people. I've always wanted to somehow make music into a career and there are too many people that hate their jobs. At the time I think my parents thought I would grow out of the idea of working with music. Needless to say, it wasn't a phase. There is nothing I have more passion about than music. ♫

Sandwiches or Cereal? How ever could I choose between the two?!?!?!

I think we can all agree that we "gotta have our pops". And I also believe that we are all in unison with the belief that cereal mascots deserve to consume the products that they endorse, but I could not survive without my sandwiches. :) 

I hope you enjoyed my blog. Now... MAKE ME A SAMMICH!

please?