A New World Calls Across the Ocean

a New World calls across the sky...

Great man, Jason Robert Brown. Go see the musical "Songs For a New World."

College really is a New World, and today I got my first true glance into next year. I had registration today and it was utterly gratifying and utterly confusing all at once. My mother and I drove up last night after my lifeguard class (I'm almost certified now!) and got to Eau Claire around 10:00 at night. We stayed in the same dorm building I will be in next year (but not my exact room). I discovered that there is plenty of space for my stuff there next year, so I don't have to worry too much. My roommate informed me the other day that she may be switching rooms, so there's a possibility I could have a new roommate or none at all. Either way, the room was not as small as I set it to be in my mind.

We had to get up early this morning for registration. I was reminded of the time I spent in the Whitewater dorms before going to Europe. My mom is more used to dorm like than I was. She had the whole public bathroom thing down. Orientation covered a lot of stuff. We were busy all day, from taking pictures for student ids to a student testimonial video to asking questions with orientation staff in our specific area. They threw a lot of information at us, then handed us a packet of open classes. Today also happened to be the last day of registration, so our list was even smaller than people who registered weeks before.

More than anyone else I met today, I had a huge decision thrown at me. Dr. Alan Rieck, one of the choir directors at the University (as well as my orientation advisor) said to me, "did you get my email earlier this summer?" I told him I didn't. He quickly explained to me that my audition for the music department in January sufficed as a choir placement audition, and they already placed me in an ensemble. As a music ed major, I need to have 1 credit of a female choir and 2 of a mixed choir. They placed me in the top women's choir who is going on tour next spring break. I needed to make the decision today whether or not my family could afford to make the trip: Otherwise, I would be placed in a non-auditioned choir that only meets once a week. It was a terrible thing to spring on my mother, a $3,500 trip my first year of college. She called my dad. I expected them to say I'd have to do it all on my own, which means no. I didn't want to give up being in a good ensemble because of money. I gave up Luther because of money. I didn't want to give up the reason I came to Eau Claire for money too.
My dad brought this up in conversation, and my parents agreed to paying $1,500 of it.

So next spring, I will be going to Africa. I have never been more excited in my life.

I had to build my entire schedule around this ensemble, but it worked out alright. I have a lot of requirements as a Music Ed. Major: written & aural music theory, piano, private voice lessons...
Good news is, my AP scores paid off. I haven't received my scores back from senior year yet, but I have inklings. IF I am lucky enough to get a 3 on Calc, I will not have to take any math ever again. Bitchin'. If I get a 4 or 5 on my lit exam, I will be exempt from English101 (if it's a 3, then I will still get English credit). I am confident that I got a 4 or 5 on my Bio exam, which will exempt me from a lab science class (pain in the ass!) and biology, which I would have had to take as an Education major. What's more, my 4 on my AP U.S. History exam Junior year, I get 6 credits in Social studies. AND I tested out of all 4 sessions of German. I don't even know how that happened.

So my schedule is as follows: As an honors student, I have an honors seminar class every Thursday from 8-9. I have music theory (alternating between the two types) from 9-10 Monday through Thursday. I have an hour break at 10 before Intermediate Swimming Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 11-12 (which I hear they base your grade off solely on the number of laps you swim. I'm so glad I was on the swim team?) Then it's straight to a lit class (American lit from pre-colonial to civil war) on M,W,F till one. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, I have Piano at 1. Monday-Thursday I have Women's Concert Chorale at 2. And on Tuesdays & Thursdays, I have an Introduction to World Politics class from 3:15-4:45. Voice lessons will fit where they can.
So basically, I have all music classes except for a gym class and two gen eds. On fridays I have two classes, with the first one beginning at 11:00. My schedule totally rocks.

I am optimistic and excited for this upcoming year. I wasn't always today, but now that it's all planned, I feel better (funny how that works). I care a lot about my future. If I am going to be spending money on college, I want to do well and succeed. As much as I dislike money & how it determines so many things in life, I have to be realistic. I can't afford in any way to take this for granted. I've already started eating healthier and coming up with plans to be a good student next year. There's some work habits I should fix before I go.

I am so excited for the fall! Hooray!