Final Reflection

My final reflection project consisted of phrases or pictures on sticky notes about my life prior to Converse, how I’ve changed during this first semester, and my goals for the future. The sticky notes were color-coded to correspond with the time during my life. These insights to my life covered a wooden plaque with my name on it.

            I began my project by describing what has helped shape me into the person I was before coming to college. I worked at a music store called Music and Arts throughout my senior year, and it provided me with the opportunity to learn how to manage my money, interact with other people, and strengthen my responsibilities. My family has had a lot of influence on my personality and work ethic. My parents have allowed me to become well rounded and culturally aware. My brothers have influenced my diligent work ethic and willingness to share. My grandmother was the most caring woman I have ever met. I try to resemble her lifestyle as much as I can on a daily basis. My previous clarinet teacher, Gretchen Roper, has taught me everything beneficial that I know about the clarinet and has shown me how to really enjoy playing.

            I have become an overall busier, pickier, more organized person since I have come to college. Every day is filled with schoolwork, practicing and sometimes eating. I think I am finally figuring out a way to manage all of my time to complete my schoolwork and practice 12 hours a week. I never would have considered myself a picky eater before coming to Converse, but I will only eat certain food here. A lot of my friends have commented that I am very organized. This really surprises me because I used to be a very messy person. The last aspect of my life that has really changed is my quality of friends. I have met some of the most supportive and fun loving people here at Converse, and it has really showed me what friends should really be like.

            By the time I graduate, I would like to have been accepted to an internship and have had a successful senior recital. In order to choose a potential place for an internship, I must pass my proficiency exams in piano and guitar and discover which population I would enjoy working with during my practicum. I must do well on my juries and continue loving to play the clarinet to have a successful senior recital.

            After I graduate, I would like to complete my six-month internship, begin working, get married and have a family. I finished my project by stating that no matter what my past was like, how much I will change, or what will happen in the future, I will still be Emma.  

Converse Traditions

     One of the most enjoyable traditions I’ve experienced in the Petrie School of Music was the Halloween Recital. It was so entertaining to see students perform in ways that are not of traditional “Converse style.” The Halloween Recital provided students that may not be comfortable performing in a formal recital with an opportunity to play or sing in a fun, relaxed environment.

     What if there were more recitals such as this throughout the year? There could be a recital at Christmas, Valentine’s Day, and before the second semester ends. The Christmas Recital could feature well-known Christmas carols, and the performers could dress up in costumes or festive colors. Possibly the audience members could contribute to a foundation that helps families during Christmas time by paying a dollar to watch the recital. The Valentine’s Day Recital could feature love songs. These love songs could be operatic expressions of love in other languages or common love songs heard on the radio. If desired, the Valentine’s Day Recital could have another twist. Students could sing songs mocking Valentine’s Day. The recital at the end of the semester could be considered a “Thank Goodness Summer is Coming Recital.” This recital could include songs about frustrations from earlier in the year, songs about final exams or juries, or any song expressing the excitement for summer’s arrival.

     The addition of these recitals could add more community in the Petrie School of Music because it will allow the students to combine their talents to form a creative ensemble. These recitals could possibly help in relieving stress because it will be something the students can look forward to while they are overwhelmed. Adding more relaxed, festive recitals throughout the year would be a great addition to the Petrie School of Music tradition.     

Songs I Love!

     According to Itunes, the majority of music I listen to is in the pop genre. Most of my music has a piano or acoustic guitar accompanying the singer. I think this gives the music a pure quality because it isn’t cluttered with a lot of synthesizers or electric guitars. It's very relaxing and usually puts me in a good mood. I always get really excited when I buy a new CD, so I listen to it over and over for a couple of weeks. My mom would get pretty annoyed in the car after she heard the CD for about the fifth time

     I find it very distracting to listen to music when I do homework, so I do most of my music listening in my bed before I go to sleep or when I’m just spending time in my room. Some of my favorite artists are Colbie Caillat, Sara Bareilles, and Amanda Seyfried.

     Colbie Caillat’s music is a mixture of upbeat and slower songs. I can easily relate a lot of her songs to my life. For example, her song, “Realize,” actually had influence on my decision to get together with my boyfriend. I have two of her CDs: Coco and Breakthrough. I listen to these CDs when I just want to turn up my music and sing. 

     The next artist, Sara Bareilles, is a new favorite of mine. My amazing roommate, Caitlin, bought me the CD entitled Kaleidoscope Heart for my birthday. I love it so much! The first song, “Kaleidoscope Heart,” is really interesting because it is just Sara singing, but she has overdubbed her voice to add a lot of harmony. If you use your imagination, the song resembles a kaleidoscope. Bareilles has a really beautiful voice, and it’s fun for me to just relax and contemplate on her lyrics.

     The last artist I’m going to talk about, Amanda Seyfried, isn’t well known for her singing. She is an actress and has performed in a few movies such as Dear John, Mama Mia, and Mean Girls. She sings a song entitlled “Little House” in the movie Dear John. I am currently learning this song so I can perform it for my guitar class. I listen to this much more often than any other music. Each night I use it to pick out strumming patterns and chord changes. I’m also hoping that if I listen to it enough right before I go to bed, it will seep into my subconscious and magically allow me to play it flawlessly.  

     I don't get to listen to music for fun as often as I would like, but I really enjoy listening to songs and trying to relate them to my thoughts and experiences. I have actually found ways to handle some problems I've had by listening to lyrics. 

No drinking at 18!

            The transition into college is exciting, stressful, and an adventure. Students are no longer “watched over” by their parents, and they begin to explore their new lives as adult individuals. During this process, students become bogged down by homework, their social lives, and homesickness. Students do not need an easy access to alcohol in their new life. Professors assign homework to reinforce what was learned in class. If students are drinking instead of doing their work, they will not learn the material and probably miss other classes because of the after effects of alcohol. This could cause the student to fall further and further behind and possibly not be able to continue his or her education. Alcohol may provide a very active social life for students. They will meet a lot of new people who enjoy drinking with them and begin to feel like these people are their friends. Later in the semester, the student may realize how the alcohol has changed his or her life. The student will also notice that in the process of losing his newfound love for alcohol he is losing all of his “friends” as well. Students will probably feel less homesick as the semester goes by. This feeling can diminish a lot quicker with the help of alcohol. Students would not be able to continue their late night partying at home with their parents’ supervision. Alcohol should not be accessible to students beginning college because they are at a too vulnerable stage in their lives. After students become comfortable with balancing school, finding true friends, and developing strong family relationships, alcohol can be added into the equation. At this time of their lives, students are mature enough to handle the responsibility that comes with drinking. 

I'm a Big Sis now!

            Before I begin my speech, I would like to set the stage for 2012. I would look much more mature than I am now, and I would present myself in a sophisticated manner. I would like the freshmen to view me as someone they would like to be in two years. Here is my speech:

“Hi everyone my name is Emma Ostapeck, and I’m a music therapy major in your big sister class. Thanks for inviting me to come and talk to you about your college experience. I’m really excited to talk to you and discuss any problems you may have or you might experience in the future. I’ll just start out by telling you a little about myself. I am from Charleston and now feel like Spartanburg is my second home. If you ever need directions to somewhere around town, feel free to ask me. I love to cook and spend time outdoors. I have two wonderful parents and twin brothers that are seniors in high school. I have a fish named Walle and am excited to say that he has been with me during my entire journey at Converse so far.

            First I would like to address the most important part of being a music major: playing your instrument. I am a music therapy major, so I had to take lessons on my primary instrument, piano, and guitar during my freshman year. Sometimes this was really frustrating because I had issues with every instrument. I played the clarinet with straight fingers and an incorrect embouchure. My wrists turned out when I played the piano, and Dr. Weeks must have showed me the cup position ten times before I fixed my problem. Guitar was by far the worst. A lot of the students in my class had some previous experience with guitar, so they moved along very quickly. I on the other hand could not figure out how to put my fingers on the fret board so the strings wouldn’t buzz, could not finger pick properly, and could not understand how it was possible to go from a G chord to a C chord without taking three seconds to reposition my hand. Hopefully none of you will have the trouble I have had, but if you do the key to surviving through it is patience. I know sometimes it will feel like your body is literally just not made to play musical instruments. You just have to stay positive and remember why you love to play music. Also, form a really close bond with your instructor because they are there to help you. Trust me, they probably had to fix problems they were experiencing when they were in college as well.

            Secondly I would like to talk about boys. As you have all noticed, we sort of lack in that department. I remember that when I first started going to Converse I began appreciating men so much more. It was such a surprise to see guys walking around on campus. I know this is probably hard for some of you, but you should make it an opportunity to form close friendships with girls and your school work. Boys won’t be as much as a distraction, and it will be a good thing to be able to discover more about yourselves when you don’t have to be concerned about dressing up for that cute guy in your music history class. As for you who are experiencing your first long distance relationship, I completely understand what you are going through. Don’t worry though; if your relationship is meant to last and you and your boyfriend work at it, you will be fine. I am happy to say that my boyfriend and I have been together for almost five years and are planning to get married after graduation. There can be ups and downs, but distance can sometimes make a relationship stronger.

            I hope my advice has helped. I am available if you ever need to talk, and I’m willing to help however I can.” 

I sleep too much!

     My largest time management challenge is that I sleep too much. My dorm room is normally quiet, so I enjoy studying here. I am forced to sit on my hard wooden chair at my desk because if I sit in my comfortable chair or on my bed I am guaranteed to fall asleep.  This problem is extremely frustrating. Also, whenever I attempt to do homework or study I feel like I am in the poppy field in the Wizard of Oz, and I have to take at least a thirty minute nap.
     I believe part of my problem is that I am going to sleep a later than I normally do. At home I went to bed around 10:30 on weeks nights. I go to bed between 11:00 and 12:00 at college. I wake up around 7:20 and have about four classes every day. I am also required to practice my clarinet for two hours a day and piano and guitar for thirty minutes each per day. I have orchestra or wind ensemble rehearsal on Mondays through Thursdays. These rehearsals vary from fifty minutes to two and a half hours. I am also required to attend convocations, recitals, and co-curricular activities. I am not complaining by any means because I enjoy attending all of these events, and it has allowed me to experience things that I normally would not have attended. There are simply not enough hours in the day.
     I think I may have found a solution to help me stay awake. Last night I went to Walmart and bought two packs of gum and diet green tea. I'm going to carry gum and tea to all of my classes so that in case I feel sleepy I can get some caffeine in my body. I'm going to definitely do this in my dorm room too. I am also going to experiment with doing homework on different parts of campus. If I sit outside, I will be in the fresh air so I can have a lot of oxygen going to my brain. Also, people would stare at me and possibly try to do things to me if they caught me sleeping.
     I am going to try these new ideas, and hopefully I will be able to stay awake! If not, then I will just have to substitute taking time to go to Gee and do homework during my meal times.

I love Converse:)

Hi, I am Emma Ostapeck, and I am a music therapy major. I hope you enjoy my blog!

1. I decided to come to college because I did not feel confident that I could be successful at this time without a college degree. My dad did not complete four years of college, but now he is a sub-contractor and owns a successful construction company. One of the students that graduated from my high school joined the Navy and plans to attends college later. In my opinion, both my dad and friend were incredibly brave for facing the world at such a young age and finding a way to be successful. I, however, am not ready to go out into the world alone. I hope to spend at least four more years in school so that I can continue to learn and earn a degree that will help me build a company of my own one day.

2. Yes, Converse is a very expensive college, but after considering three others, it seemed like the college for me. I also considered attending Appalachian State University, Queens University in Charlotte, and Charleston Southern University. I am currently a music therapy major, so it is very difficult to find colleges that offer my major. The faculty at the other schools were very nice, but I could not envision myself at one of those schools for the next four years. When I visited Converse, I was greeted by knowledgeable, enthusiastic people that truly had a passion for Converse. The students that were walking through the halls smiled at me and made me feel at home. The music therapy faculty and clarinet teacher made me feel welcomed and assured me that I would be able to get the education I needed here at Converse. I would not be happier anywhere else. Converse is expense, but I have received academic and music scholarships that have helped pay for the tuition.

3. I have been playing music since I was in fourth grade. Sometimes practicing can be incredibly frustrating, but overall I have had some great experiences playing music. I have participated in various honor bands and ensembles while in high school. I have also had the opportunity to play with many professional musicians. Playing music relieves my stress and makes me feel happier. I enjoyed learning other subjects such as math and science, but I cannot see myself having any other occupation besides playing music and helping others.

4. If I were to give up cereal or sandwiches, I would choose cereal because I can substitute cereal with other breakfast foods, but sandwiches are hard to replace. There are also many types of sandwiches, so it would be difficult to become tired of eating them.