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.”