Your guide to finding (and losing) a second major, by Eva Martin. Eva is Vice President of the Peer Advisors, and is a junior double majoring in Middle Eastern Studies and International Affairs with a concentration in Security Policy. Or is she?
Step 1: Get really excited about your second major. It’s a perfect fit, you just declared, and now you MUST be super marketable for all the jobs you want.
Step 2: Take some classes in your major. Because you love the topic, you already know a lot of the basic stuff. The classes aren’t super interesting, but you like being able to nod along and put together the pieces of what you already know. And you get to write papers about whatever you want that’s related to class, so you investigate some very specific things you’re into. Which is pretty awesome.
Step 3: Sign up for some more classes about things that you are into. They sound super relevant, and you’re excited to investigate further the things that you like.
Step 4: It’s a new year. You’re doing some leadership things, so it takes you some time to feel settled. The classes are okay. You go over some things you already know (like where the Sunni-Shia divide originated… for the seventh time), but you’re confident that soon enough things will get interesting.
Step 5: They don’t. You’re learning the same things you know. Over and over. With people who don’t know them, so they ask questions you know detailed answers to, and professors give them a quick 30 second rundown. And your papers are all on assigned topics, and it feels like high school (“Describe two challenges the Ottoman Empire faced and how the way they were resolved shaped the structure of society.”).
Step 6: Get frustrated. This isn’t why you wanted to take this major. You wanted to delve into the details and build a complex knowledge base. You wanted depth of knowledge, and instead you’re hitting some arbitrary bottom, again and again.
Step 7: Decide this major isn’t for you. You aren’t getting anything out of it. It’s frustrating. You don’t want to go to class, which being a typical Honors kid is weird. You usually LOVE class. You don’t feel like yourself, and it’s not right.
Step 8: Talk to everyone you know who you trust as an advisor. Talk to Catherine and Mary. Talk to your favorite professors. Talk to your friends, even though they have no idea what’s going on. Tell them what’s going on, tell them how you feel, tell them you want out.
Step 9: Tell your parents. It’s going to be okay. You can still get a job. Actively explore your options.
Step 10: Go to your official advisor. Fill out a form. Drop your major. Experience the freedom of saying “no (more).”
If you ever want to talk about a major not fitting, shoot me an email (evamartin@gwu.edu). I’ve been there. Dropping a major isn’t a failure. Knowing something isn’t right for you and letting go of it is a sign of personal growth. Now I can take classes I like rather than ones that fulfill requirements. I can take an internship for credit, I can dedicate more time and energy to being an RA and peer advisor, and I can maybe graduate early. It turns out major changes (get it) can be a good thing.
Category: Student Voices
Intern Files: RWJ Summer Clinical Internship Program
This blog post was written by Shelly Sharma, a junior in CCAS studying Psychology with a concentration in cognitive neuroscience. Shelly is also pursuing the pre-health track.
As the summer of 2015 was quickly approaching and it occurred to me I had no definite summer plans, I quickly began perusing the interwebs to find either an internship or something medical related to do during the summer. After constantly finding about programs where the application deadline had passed, I finally found the RWJ Summer Clinical Internship Program (SCIP.) I knew I had to apply to the program right away for two reasons: 1. The deadline had not passed yet and 2. It was in NJ, close by my house, so I did not have to worry about finding housing for the summer! After filling out a quick application, asking professors for recommendations, and waiting frantically for a decision, I heard back and was accepted into the program. Going into the SCIP Program, I had absolutely no idea what to expect and how this would be one of the most pivotal moments in my pre-med journey.
The doctor I was shadowing, Dr. Gupta, was trained in endovascular and vascular neurosurgery. Thus, during my six weeks, I got the opportunity to spend time in the operating room (my favorite place), the angiosuite, where endovascular neurosurgery takes place, and the clinic, where patients would come in after surgeries for a checkup. Additionally, during lunchtime, different doctors would come in and talk to the SCIP students about their specialty in a seminar series. Thus, I was not only learning about neurosurgery, but all the different fields in medicine, such as from OB-GYN, Emergency Medicine, and Pediatric Hematology and Oncology.
Dr. Gupta was an amazing doctor to shadow because he cared so much about teaching students about the wonderful field of neurosurgery. When the program first began, I was so afraid of asking Dr. Gupta or anyone else on his team questions because I did not want to sound dumb. However, the whole neurosurgery team at RWJ encouraged asking questions and maximizing learning, so once I let go of my fear, I would constantly ask questions. Many times my questions were answered by another questions. At first what was frustrating was the best learning technique ever! I was constantly thinking and working to find my own answers, well with the help of the doctors and nurses, of course! This was especially beneficial for my SCIP presentation where I had to in about five minutes explain how to treat a brain aneurysm!
Why was this such a rewarding experience?
Although I was merely a shadow, I saw such amazing procedures, met wonderful doctors and nurses, and learned that being a doctor is the career for me. There were times where I was in the operating room and unable to properly see the procedures going on, but I still learned about the procedures. The surgeons either talked through the procedure or explained what was going on afterwards. All the doctors at RWJ are committed to their patients. Even though the doctors were in a constant rush, if a patient or a member of a patient’s family ever needed to talk to the doctors, they took the time to talk to them. Seeing this everyday was how I figured out that being pre-med is the right track for me. I cannot imagine doing anything else, but coming into a hospital every day, meeting with patients, doing surgeries, and working so close with other doctors. Doctors are students for life, constantly are learning about new techniques and improvements in medicine, meeting new people, and changing the world.
Six weeks, and what felt like a thousand plus hours later (okay it may have just been about 380 hours), I have gained the clinical experience that medical schools look for, but more than anything I have found my calling in life. The journey to medical school is hard, but seeing how incredible all the doctors at RWJ are I know it is all worth it! I only wish this program lasted longer, but alas all good things must come to an end.
After being a part of SCIP, here is my advice for pre-meds:
- ASK QUESTIONS! No question is dumb. If I was not encouraged to ask questions this summer, I don’t think that the experience would have been as amazing! Shout out to the neurosurgery team at RWJ that would answer my questions during surgeries!
- Carry your phone at all times! This one is kinda weird, I know, but it is needed so that you can quickly be called to the other side of the hospital if an interesting case comes by or simply to take notes.
- That being said always, always in a clinical setting take notes! Information is constantly being thrown at you, the names of everything medical are complicated, and there is only so much that you can remember!
- Keep in touch with your mentors. Mentors are not just wonderful people for letters of recs, but they are there to answer any questions you may have about the field and can give you a glimpse into what your future may be like!
- If you are looking for clinical experience or summer internships, here is an awesome website that has a complied list of programs!
- Being pre-med is not easy, but if you are truly passionate about it, stick with it because in the end it will all be worth it!
If you have any questions about being pre-med or about my internship or are just fascinated by neurology or neurosurgery, feel free to email me at shells_sharma@gwmail.gwu.edu!!
The Extra Curricular: WRGW District Radio
This post was written by Jenna Spoont, an SMPA junior studying journalism and mass communication. Jenna is Vice Chair of the UHP Peer Advisors!
“Welcome to The Monday Memo! In the production booth, I’m Jenna Spoont.”
Hello fellow UHPers! I am a junior from Wayne, Pa., majoring in journalism and mass communication. I am here to talk about WRGW District Radio, the student-run radio station on campus. I am the News Director at WRGW, where I oversee the operations of the News Department. I also host a talk show called “Sunday Brunch” every Sunday from 11 a.m. – 12 p.m and a game show known as “Don’t Force It” (along with a fellow peer advisor, Bridger Christian) every Thursday from 9 p.m. – 10 p.m.
Working at WRGW has been the highlight of my extracurricular participation on campus. The passionate student deejays welcomed me into the college radio family right away. The News Department opened up incredible reporting opportunities for me, such as covering Vice President Joe Biden’s speech on campus, The Fray’s 2013 Colonials Weekend concert and the annual Apple Day Crunch celebration featuring President Steven Knapp and his wife, Diane Knapp.
Every Sunday, I look forward to hosting an hour-long talk show with two of my best friends at GW, Shelly Sharma (a fellow UHPer!) and Jen Romanello. The three of us lived together our first year and we love to spend every Sunday morning talking about pop culture, technology and our lives in general.
Every Thursday, I get so excited to co-host “Don’t Force It” – we have a bunch of different types of games – including guessing obscure animal noises! If you’re interested in competing on the show, let us know – we would love to have you as our guest.
I joined WRGW the first semester of my freshman year. I started off as a beat reporter and anchor in the News Department. At the end of that semester, I was promoted to Assistant News Director and in April 2014, I was appointed to the News Director position.
The department is home to over 200 students—including producers, editors, anchors and reporters. We broadcast every weekday from 6-6:30 p.m. I produce the Monday newscast. When not on the air, our reporters cover stories across campus for the website, news.gwradio.com.
If you are interested in joining any department at WRGW, we would love to have you in the radio family! I know a bunch of UHPers who are members of WRGW! The studio is located in room G02 of the Marvin Center. As a member of WRGW, you will learn how to work the audio board, speak clearly and concisely, and broadcast great programming with other members.
WRGW broadcasts live from the studio every day from 8 a.m. – 2 a.m. Tune in at gwradio.com. Please email me at news@gwradio.com if you would like to join the team!
From Shanghai With Love [Study Ablog]
This blog post was written by sophomore Prakriti Luthra, a peer advisor studying economics and political science. See her full bio here.
This summer, I spent two amazing weeks studying abroad in Shanghai, China. I know that when most people think about studying abroad, two weeks isn’t the time period that comes to mind and that the program I participated in is quite unique. I went to Shanghai through the GW Short-Term Abroad program to take an international economics class. Not only did I get three credits out of the way, but I also got to experience one of the most diverse, beautiful cities in the world at the same time!
Shanghai boasts a bustling financial district, with futuristic buildings and one of the tallest skyscrapers in the world, the World Financial Tower. It has one of the best metro systems I have ever seen and definitely beats taking the red line in DC! At the same time, our class saw intricate ancient gardens, dragon boat races, and the infamous Bund area. I also got to try a lot of new foods, like jellyfish (which was actually not too bad, surprisingly) and I also refused to try some foods, like duck tongue (a decision I do not regret at all).
While I could have easily taken the same class back in DC, what I learned in a classroom was enhanced ten fold by physically exploring the city and seeing what I learned in real life. For instance, we visited neighboring cities like Shoujo, which is not as developed as Shanghai. It was interesting to see the stark contrast between the two different areas and how differently people lived. Guest speakers like the prior CEO of Coach China came to tell our class about their experiences with owning a business in the country and their lifestyles. I learned so much just from short interactions with the locals living in the city that a textbook could never teach me on it’s own.
GW short term abroad is a great option for those of you who don’t have time to devote a whole semester (like many overwhelmed honors students!!) but still want to explore a new country while simultaneously taking a class. Those two weeks, while short, were the highlight of my summer and I will remember them long after I graduate from GW. I 100% recommend GW Short Term Abroad and I hope I can participate in one again in the future!
UHP Hike at Harpers Ferry
Harpers Ferry is a small town in West Virginia, famous for being situated on a spit of land where the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers meet. It is surrounded by foothills of the Shenandoah mountains which offer amazing views of the town, such as this one:
For those interested in transportation history, it was central to shipping routes along the Chesapeake & Ohio canal (the very canal that lives by the Vern) and connected to major railroads headed West (and East). For those interested in Civil War history, you may remember John Brown‘s raid of the armory in an attempt to rouse a slave revolt.
And for those of us who attended the hike on Saturday, it offers a personal history as well – that of a partly cloudy day spent in nature with colleagues and friends!
We set out from the Townhouse at 9:30, after a hearty breakfast of bagels and muffins and bananas. The ride was about an hour and a half, through some pretty nice green landscapes. Once we got there, we took shuttles from the parking area to the historic town, and from there walked across a railroad bridge and along the canal to the Maryland Heights trailhead. That made a grand total of three states and DC – Virginia, West Virginia, and Maryland. The hike was about an hour and a half, but basically went straight up a mountain – which was not expected. There weren’t even switchbacks!
The view though, pictured above, was worth it (please note this is the only picture that I took). And there were dogs. So many dogs.
We took our sweet time coming back down the hill and some people even took a few minutes to cool off their feet in the Potomac. Those of us who didn’t took a few minutes to poke our head in the bookstore and use the bathrooms before the long drive home (which included either napping or playing the greatest word game ever, shoutout Mary).
You can find pictures of the hike here, and keep an eye out for next semester’s adventure!
If you’re interested in going to Harpers Ferry on your own, it is accessible by car, or by rail (MARC train, but it only runs during the week).
And a huge thank you to Professor Mark Ralkowski and GW Trails for their planning, coordination, and guidance, and to Eydie Costantino for making sure we were all well fed! Also thanks to Program Officer Mary and Administrative Coordinator Alex for their help with directing the masses. You guys made our day possible AND amazing!
Final review: 10/10 would recommend.
Academic Travel Opportunity- "The Price of Freedom: Normandy, 1944"
This post and photo were provided by Samantha Lewis, a Peer Advisor and junior in CCAS, studying political science and communication.
Over Spring Break of last year, I stood in the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial and gave a eulogy for my fallen soldier. I was telling my classmates how Julian “Rex” Buzzett had a history, a family, and a life outside of serving his country. I was recounting the letter he had written home to his family on the night of the invasion, the same letter that his family had sent me a copy of, when I broke down into tears.
If you had asked me whether I thought I’d end up taking an upper level history class at GWU when I came here, I probably would have laughed at you. I’m not a history major– memorizing dates, times, and proper nouns is not my forte. But I found myself interviewing with Dr. Tom Long when I heard about the Price of Freedom in Normandy class. The email had said students would find a soldier from their hometown who died on D-Day to research, and after learning about the war from a bottom-up perspective, we’d trace the Normandy campaign over break.
After visiting Utah, Omaha, Juno, Sword, and Gold beach, I could picture what the invasion might have looked like. After visiting countless battle sites, various churches, and small towns, I had a better understanding of what happened in the Normandy Invasion than even some history majors. Most importantly, after seeing the expanse of the Normandy American Cemetery, I understood that the price of freedom is never cheap.
The Normandy class is happening again this Spring, and I feel as though I have a responsibility to let people know about it. I almost didn’t end up signing up for the class because I “didn’t do” history, so this is my shout out to everyone saying “THAT’S OKAY”! There are a few info sessions this Tuesday (Sep. 29 1-3pm and 6-8pm in Phillips 329) that I strongly encourage honors students to attend. If you’ve been in the Townhouse recently, I’m sure you’ve heard me obsessing over this class. I promise it’s for good reason, so if you don’t believe me, check it out yourself. And if you have any questions, I’d love to answer them for you.
I recently have been emailing my soldier’s family, including my soldier’s brother who also fought in the war, to make edits to my paper about Rex. By this time next year, it will be sitting in the cemetery’s archives. And that’s amazing because I am not a history major, and I never will be. But after a semester in one of the most academically and emotionally rewarding classes, I can say that there’s more to history than just the battles and commanders. Soldiers fought and soldiers died, and they deserve to be honored.
#HonorsProblems – Stress and Pressure (Concepts from Solids and Fluids)
This post was written by peer advisor Lydia Gleaves, a junior in SEAS, studying mechanical engineering with a concentration in robotics.
Do you remember the year that you learned to write in cursive? They probably told you that you would always have to use cursive in the real world. Odds are, you don’t write exclusively in cursive nowadays. What about the eighth grade, when they told you that high school was going to be so much harder? For some of us, high school came just as easily as anything else ever did.
Now think about when they told you that college was the real deal, the big game you’d been training for all this time. It was going to be so stressful and so hard. But the same people telling you that also told you you’d always write in cursive and that English I was going to wreck your world freshman year of high school. So why would you believe them? Hah, nothing gets past you.
So then you’re here at GW, and you’re thinking, Wow, this is pretty easy. I know this stuff! And you do, because it’s syllabus week and everything is review. But slowly, it starts to get a little harder. And a little harder. And suddenly, you don’t even understand what the professor is saying (and not because of his accent or her handwriting – because you just can’t get it). And then maybe you find yourself in the back of a Thermodynamics classroom with tears running down your face while your friends raptly take notes from a professor who is steadfastly refusing to make eye contact with you. (That one might just be me?)
College is hard. Everyone hits a wall at some point. Maybe you failed a quiz, or maybe you cried in class, or maybe you cried during the quiz that you failed.
“If you’re not already familiar with it, you will be.”
I study mechanical engineering, which means I’m currently taking Introduction to the Mechanisms of Solids, where we’re learning about stress, and Fluid Mechanics, where we work a lot with pressure. Both stress and pressure are equal to a force over an area (P = σ = F / A). They make pretty great metaphors for the college experience. College puts you under plenty of stress and pressure, and we can use concepts from solids and fluids to learn to minimize that stress and that pressure.
“I don’t know what the metaphorical units could possibly be; just ignore those.”
The “force” F in the college/life equation is anything that weighs down on you (that’s kind of a pun, I think I get half credit for that). That could be homework, studying for midterms, picking a major, any of a variety of physical or mental health issues, missing your parents, getting busy with student orgs, missing your friends, the major process that is finding who you truly are, etc.
The “area” A is your support system. If it’s just you, that’s a tiny area. If it’s you and a friend, that’s better, that’s getting bigger. Sometimes there are only a few forces weighing down, so you don’t need such a big area. Sometimes, though, there are a lot of forces on you, and you need a much larger area; in that case, someone at the University Counseling Center could help you increase your area with a workshop, a one-off appointment, or recurring visits.
So you take those forces and apply them over an area. Maybe you have five forces: parents, money, girlfriend, Foster’s econ, and CHEM 1111. If the area is one, just lil ole you, that’s still a stress or pressure of 5/1, or FIVE. That’s so high! But then we bring in a couple of friends, lean on your big brother, and learn a new way to keep track of your time (i.e. pen and paper, like we’re elderly). Suddenly, your area is five, too, and then the stress is just 5/5 equals ONE. Way more manageable.
This may be the nerdiest thing I’ve ever written, and you may be slightly embarrassed if someone catches you reading it in public, but I hope that you get the point I’m trying to make here. College is hard, but with a strong support system and some core skills for dealing with tough times, it can get a lot less stressful.
Intern Files: Diplomatic Internship
My summer internship was one of the most challenging and rewarding experiences of my short career, but the story starts a year ago.
How did it happen?
I met a girl at an event last fall at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace who was interning with the Kurdistan Regional Government Office of Representation in DC (KRG-US). If you’re unfamiliar with the details of their situation, the Kurds are an ethnic minority and live in northern Iraq, northwestern Iran, northeastern Syria, and southeastern Turkey. They have been called the biggest nation without a state, and currently some of them (mostly the Iraqi Peshmerga and Syrian YPG) are considered the most successful local forces fighting the Islamic State. I could go on, but you can read more about the Kurds for yourself here.
I shot off an email with a resume and some questions, and heard back… nothing. Pretty disappointing, but since I was taking six classes, I figured maybe it was better that I had one less thing on my plate.
Months went by, it got cold and dark, and then one day in early March I got an email from my Persian professor asking if I’d be interested in interning for the KRG-US office. They needed an extra person just a few hours a week, and my professor was friends with their Director of Public Affairs. I jumped at the opportunity, and got asked to come in once a week (after an interview and submitting my resume and a writing sample).
What did I do?
The KRG-US office is a small one, with five directorates, the Representative and her assistant, and three interns (usually). It means that we get to do a little bit of everything. When I started, I did the usual intern jobs of answering the phone and emails, typing up notes, and scanning. The coolest not-cool things I did were deliver notes to Congress and draft diplomatic correspondence (including a letter to Angelina Jolie). I reported daily on official press briefings (from State, Defense, and the White House). I also wrote summaries on events at think tanks, articles published about the Kurds, and meetings. So many meetings. My favorite job, my pet task, was graphing the airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, as well as tracking arms supplies to the Peshmerga. Many of these reports were translated and sent to the KRG cabinet for special briefings – it’s cool to think that my writing reached people across the world and potentially helped form their policies.
Who did I meet?
Apart from the amazing KRG-US staff, whose stories are each unique and incredible, I met former and current members of Congress, staffers, and representatives of the Defense and State Departments. I shook hands with the President of the Kurdistan Region of Iraq and have a picture with his Deputy Prime Minister and the Minister of Peshmerga. I was invited to come to the American University of Duhok, Kurdistan and conduct research. I saw Ted Cruz from across a room and took a marginally creepy picture of David Petraus, to prove that I saw him. I exchanged words with retired General Jay Garner, who commanded forces during Desert Storm and Operation Provide Comfort.
What was my favorite thing?
My favorite thing was organizing a reception to thank US veterans who served in Kurdistan (see picture above). Rumor has it that this was the first event of its kind, and we had over 200 guests in our old townhouse, from retired four-star generals to ex-special forces to contractors, federal employees, and of course Kurdish community members. You can check out pictures from the event here, but the best part was talking to service members and hearing about how thankful they were to the people of Kurdistan for their hospitality and sacrifices. I’m now doing research for someone I met at the event, so it goes to show that you never know how one thing will turn into another (ask me about what I’m researching and why, I’m sort of obsessed with it).
Sounds cool! How do I sign up to do it myself?
KRG-US is actually hiring at least one intern for the fall semester now! You can see this related post about how to apply, or email me at evamartin@gwu.edu if you aren’t sure – I’m happy to tell you even more.
The Extra-Curricular: Music for Everyone (Yes, even you!)
Happy Second Week of Classes, UHP!
This week’s extracurricular is something that can unquestionably apply to everyone, and I’ll take a bit of liberty in terms of “extracurricular” and its usual definition by discussing an extracurricular activity near and dear to my hear, while on principle also co-curricular: music.
Specifically, I’ll talk about my organization, the GW Jazz Orchestra, but I’ll also do my best to touch on all of the, perhaps surprisingly, multitudinous offerings that GW provides for all those musically inclined, how those who aren’t might be able to enjoy them, and how my experience might be able to help you figure out what extracurriculars YOU want to get involved with as you embark on your journey at GW.
So to start at the heart of the matter, I’m a Sophomore History major and Law & Society minor with a heavy eye on Law School—but I’m also a Jazz Studies minor. And that manifests itself in many ways, but none more so than my dedication to the GW Music Department and the growth of opportunities for EVERY individual at GW, whether that means as a performer or as an observer.
Last semester, a friend and I took that belief and our dedication to the craft of America’s true original art form to form what would become the GW Jazz Orchestra (simply, GWJO). We began with a group of handpicked musicians, students who were members of the Jazz Studies program and regular attendees at the Friday Jazz Jam Sessions, began rehearsing in March, and debuted as part of the 24 Hour Protest Concert to #SavetheArtsGW (more on that later) in April. At that point, we had attained approval to exist as an official GW Student Organization. Our mission is as it always was, to propagate “a new breed of jazz at GW.” That means playing music composed for large jazz ensembles as it was meant to be played—the classic greats like Duke Ellington and Count Basie as well as more modern goliaths of the jazz world like Gordon Goodwin and Maynard Ferguson. It means that we’ll play as much as we can, as often as we can, and gosh darn it we’re going to be as good at it was we possibly can.
And after a nearly 40% reduction in musical opportunities due to administrative budget, it now means that we must be dedicated to fulfilling our obligation to ensure that all students who desire to play music have that opportunity. That’s an obligation that we take with the utmost sincerity; so seriously that we took care to restructure our organization so that we can include as many people who would like to participate as possible—an important step to take as an organization, and a difficult one to acknowledge as necessary, what with starting an organization as a Freshman and all.
Moral of the story: if you want to start an organization as a Freshman, DO IT. Make sure you have a lot of money for coffee but definitely DO IT. It’s one the most rewarding experiences I’ve had thus far at GW and I’ve taken away invaluable lessons about leadership, organization, and camaraderie. If you want to be involved in something and the 400+ student organizations at GW don’t quite fit the bill, take that bold step. Get in touch with the Center for Student Engagement and start the process. It was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.
But I digress. What other music stuff do I do, you ask? And how do I get involved, you ask? And what else can I do in the Music Department? And where do I see musical things, in the abstract, happening, you ask?
The last one’s easy: the basement of Philips Hall houses the music department. Walk on down there, check out the bulletin boards, and check in with the office to sign up for the Music Department Listserv to stay up to date on concerts and recitals. Like the GW Music Department on Facebook as well for the same updates!
What else do I do in the Department? I take jazz performance lessons with world-renowned saxophonist Peter Fraize, play in the Wind Ensemble and Symphonic Band (depending on the semester), and when I have a few hours to spare, play with the Colonial Brass basketball pep band—all incredible opportunities to get involved and meet a new group of AWESOME people, especially if you’re a hopelessly lost band geek looking to dust off that clarinet.
How do I get involved? See above—just walk on down to the basement of Philips Hall and peruse the bulletin boards/talk to the office staff for more information! I’d also be happy to direct you to any relevant persons—just shoot me an email!
What else can I do in the music department? Just about anything! There is a choir, chamber ensembles, and a symphonic orchestra besides the jazz area ensembles and GW Bands. If you would like to take lessons, you can register for MUS 1106—a new GPAC course, Introduction to Music Performance, and take a semester of lessons with any of the world class music faculty for FREE!!#$@#^&#@@!!!!!!!!
But what if the only music stuff I can do is play “ Chopsticks” on the piano or “Hot Cross Buns” on the recorder? COME SUPPORT THE ARTS AS MUCH AS YOU POSSIBLY CAN! Whether it’s the fine musicians in the GW Jazz Orchestra, the incredibly talented vocalists of any given acapella group on campus, or individual performers who practice relentlessly to perfect their art, take a walk down to Philips and check out what the department has to offer. Come to a concert or attend a recital and you will experience firsthand how incredibly diverse and talented this musical student body truly is.
Though my involvement spans what some might consider inter-dimensional boundaries, music is truly my lifeblood. Making time for it, even if it’s in a formal class setting, doesn’t feel extracurricular—it feels natural.
I encourage you to find that wherever you end up at GW, whether it’s a performing art or not, departmentally associated or not: find your niche, find what makes you happy, find what allows you to expend hopeless amounts of energy with zero regret, find what makes you lose sleep because you’re up late spending time on it.
And if you can’t find that niche, create it.
If you have any questions about balancing extracurriculars with your crazy lives, feel free to get in touch. If you want to know more about the music department/musical opportunities, definitely get in touch.
Thanks for reading—and be sure to like the GW Music Department (https://www.facebook.com/GWDeptOfMusic?fref=ts) as well as The GW Jazz Orchestra (https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-GW-Jazz-Orchestra/756427921139607?fref=ts) on Facebook to stay updated on concerts and opportunities!
Study Ablog: Reminiscing about my Semester in England
Hi everyone! My name is Kaley and I am senior majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in marketing. Last fall, I studied abroad at Royal Holloway University of London located in Egham, United Kingdom (right outside of London), and it was truly one of the best experiences of my life. I’m coming up on one year since I left for my study abroad program and the nostalgia is at an all time high!
Yesterday, I had lunch with my friend Eileen, who I met on our study abroad program (she’s a GW UHP student too!). We reminisced about our incredible adventures, like exploring the great city of London, enjoying a scenic train ride along the coast of Scotland, or simply laughing with our new friends over some ciders at the pub.
Studying abroad is such an incredible experience, it truly feels like a dream. I lived in a victorian castle in England, ate a baguette in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, took a boat ride on Loch Ness in Scotland, and soaked in the thermal baths of Budapest, just to name a few of the ways I spent my time!
In many ways, studying abroad is like being on an extended vacation. You get to explore new places, meet new people, and there is an incredible feeling of excitement and freedom that usually comes along with a vacation. Hopefully, you’ll have the opportunity to travel to other cities and countries too. There is nothing quite like the experience of seriously asking yourself “Hmm, do I want to go to Budapest next weekend, or Paris?” Pro tip: travel in Europe is super budget-friendly!
There are also many ways that studying abroad isn’t like an extended vacation, and really it’
s just life. Sometimes life is boring, stressful, or overwhelming. Life requires laundry to be done, rooms to be cleaned, and school work to be completed. But, that’s what’s so great about studying abroad– it’s a unique opportunity to experience life in a new way. I learned so much about myself, what I am capable of, and what is important to me.
If anyone is on the fence about studying abroad, I’d say 100% GO FOR IT! I was really intimidated by the idea of living in another country for a semester. In fact, I don’t think I fully decided to study abroad until I found myself on an airplane heading to London for three months, but I am so glad that I did!
