These past few Common Sessions have made me realize some crucial things. I admit that I have a habit of putting off what is in need of confrontation. I have a knack for allowing myself to live only in the now, but dealing with all things, past, present, and future, is the only real way to get through life. I usually let the future be the future and the now be the now. What I need to do is live in the now while looking ahead. When I don't look ahead, it is not because I am afraid. I would just rather not be burdened. I have forced myself into the mentality of "It'll be okay," and "Things will get done." What I fail to acknowledge is that things will only get done if I do them. Even if I wait, things will still need to be done, the only difference being that it is in the now of  the future. In the grand scheme of things, real matters require careful consideration; matters such as what I am going to do after I graduate and how I am going to get to that point in my life. To get there is a goal, but I should also do it to the best of my ability. I can't even recall the last time I did something to the best of my ability. Putting my all into something when it's too late or when there's too much pressure or when I've had too much convincing does not qualify as doing it to the best of my ability. The Common Sessions, in conjunction with having to type out this blog as an assignment, have forced it out of my peripheral and into my foresight that I need to work in the now and for the future. No more refusal to see what is ahead. That's my future and I want to do it to the best of my ability.

It is our nature, as college freshmen, to make mistakes. We try, we fail, we learn, and adjust. It should be a tradition that at the end of every year, the freshman post these mistakes on a public bulletin board. It should go someplace where everyone can see it. Each freshman should write down their biggest mistake to be posted up for everybody to see. Though it may be something to be ashamed of, participating in this activity could act as a reminder that everybody makes mistakes. We could find a way to make it anonymous. There could be a box that people can voluntarily go up to in Gee or in Montgomery and write on a piece of paper to put inside of, similar to a ballet entry. Then, after the year has ended, a professor could go through them for approval to ensure that there is nothing that is utterly inappropriate. After all, we wouldn't want to seem like we encourage brutally bad decision-making. This way when the incoming freshmen arrive for the following year, they can see the board and be forewarned. It is much easier to learn from others' mistakes than to make your own and learn the hard way. Of course, there will always be that stubborn girl who says, "Well, GOLLY! That sounds like fun. Let's ignore their blatantly horrid experience and try it for ourselves!" However, at least that girl, as well as all others who read the board, will have gotten a kick out out of some of some good old-fashioned screw-ups. This, in my opinion, is a marvelous and simply fun idea. The entry box could be called the Confession Cube and we could title the board something like Freshmen Mishaps or Tales of the Foolish Freshmen. Let's forget embarrassment and realize wisdom.

It has been a magnificently treacherous road to junior year and I am not going to lie about that. Things start off easy because this is a nice school with generous teachers-- teachers who want you to make sure things are together before they give you too much to handle. It is not until after you have been given ample time to gather your schedules, study habits, and just-starting-college jitters that they will (still) give you more than you can handle. At that point, it's all up to you. It is up to you to realize that you can handle it. If you manage your time well enough, appointing work ethic when and where needed, college classes are definitely something you can tackle head-on. It is possible. It is more than possible if you're willing to put in the work. That's the thing, though. You have to be willing to put the work in. My willingness coming in to college was one hundred percent. I told myself I would bury my head in the books and not come out or make friends until I knew I could handle myself. However, I was slapped in the face with the realization that I can make friends effortlessly. As fun as that may sound, with my habit of putting others before myself and being that person that everybody comes to, this was not a good thing. I honestly recommend not even contemplating a social life until about halfway through your first semester. For some of you, it may already be too late. All I can do for you is suggest that you hurry off of that track and on to the right one. Don't be like me. If I would simply have used my resources and taken advice given to me from the get-go, I would have had amazing grades. I had the potential to be that person who seems like they're always ahead. I didn't realize at the time, though, that those people are usually ahead because they do their work. They do it immediately regardless of the due dates. Do your work. If there was one thing I had to choose to stress, it would be to do your work. Friends are second. Parties are second. Fun comes second. Do your work FIRST and do it WELL, not lazily... Then, go club-hopping.

I have always had a horrible sense of time. My brother has been making fun of me for it since I was three and the sad part is that I haven't gotten any better. If we had chicken last night for dinner, I may think it was a week ago. If  I'm assigned a paper due in three days, somehow my brain will compute that I have two weeks and time to spare. Clearly, with age, this problem would become more and more of an issue. I hardly sleep, never remember important dates until crunch time, and procrastination has become my middle name. Yet, somehow, I manage to maintain decent grades. If I simply put in a little more forethought and effort, my decent grades would jump to great grades. I may not be the best example, nor am I in the best place to be giving advice, but I'm going to give it, anyway. Know that work is work and it has to be done. If you want to torture yourself and hang out until two in the morning while English and History homework await you, go ahead. Just be prepared for stress, exhaustion, the struggle to stay awake in class, and never being up to ability. Better yet, just don't put yourself through it. Don't procrastinate.

I decided to come to college because I want to be successful in life. I feel that the best way to achieve what it is that I want to pursue in life is by getting my education first, and foremost. Also, I feel that it's an experience everyone should have. It helps to further not only the intellect of an individual, but the maturity, responsibility, and self-sufficiency.

I had visited several colleges and they were beautiful, but when I tried to come down to Converse, ironically enough, my mother and I had to drive through several tornadoes and storms. Forget cats and dogs; it was raining cows and bulls. As a result, we were unable to make it down for my audition and Dr. Scott Robins agreed to do a phone interview with me. After this hour long discussion, I realized that Converse College had the best program and the best home-like feel out of all the colleges I was considering. In my opinion, I made the best choice I could possibly have made.

Music is my passion. I was a first stand violist and soprano 1 soloist in high school, so I guess I also have some skills, but I believe that my true talent lies in the creation of music. I love my dear Delilah, (my viola), and I love hitting a note in tune, or hearing the overtones of a spine-tingling dissonance just as much as the next person. However, that all requires the use of our instruments, be it a tangible instrument or our voice, to make music. I want to be that person who creates the music, and that is why I am here at Converse College, studying Music Composition.

The video from youtube made me think about what I have to do and be to succeed as a college student. It's not just about the book smarts; it's not just about the street smarts; it is about finding a happy medium and having fun, while remaining on top of my studies.