First Semester… First Steps
I was going through some of my old family photos that I brought from Syria and I came across one that documents my first steps. As you can see in the pic below, that little dude decided on a cloudy (I’m assuming) day to get up and take his first steps. Now that my first semester at Vanderbilt is over, I can’t help but look back at all the thing I did for the first time in the past three months.
So cute, I know :D
The first time I saw the name “Vanderbilt” on the football stadium.
I was driving onto west end avenue for the first time, and I looked to the right to find “Vanderbilt” so proudly shown on the football stadium. At that glorious moment I rolled down the window and stuck my head out of the car screaming “Go Vanderbilt! Anchor Down”!. Of course that wasn’t the end of it. I made it a habit that first day to scream out “Go Vandy” every time I saw the Vanderbilt star or any version of black and gold, which included the bookstore, and all the signs on the lamp posts. As I made my first steps onto Vandy Land, I was already ready to make this my home; to belong. The down side was that I lost my voice by the end of the day.
The first college lecture I attended.
I remember this distinctly. It was a biology lecture and I had no idea what was going on. you see, English is not my first language, and as much as I was prepared for learning at a US college, I was still in cultural shock. It was difficult keeping up with the professor so I ended up taking notes in Arabic. This was not very convenient, but in small steps I was able to adapt to the way the lectures were taught, and I must admit, I took great notes throughout the semester. Now that we are at the end of the semester, I am awed by how attending lectures in English and taking notes has become second nature to me.
The first test I missed.
Just like most students here, I was used to being a good student which included actually attending all my tests and quizzes. It was a music theory quiz and I over-slept. This is not something I like to remember much, but It brought more balance into my college life. I needed to get enough sleep in order to do well (and wake up on time!)
The first time I wore my pride bracelet.
I took it from the KCPC representatives during orientation, but I never gathered the guts to put it on. For the next few weeks, though, I never took it off my wrist. It was liberating to be in an environment where every one is accepted and where I am not ashamed of who I really am. After a while Vanderbilt made me so confident that I started forgetting to put it on. I became safe in my own skin enough to have inner-pride, even if I didn’t wear it.
The first time I went to the Nashville Symphony.
My piano professor, Professor Krieger, invited me to a concert titled Russian Spectacular. She knew how much I loved Russian composers and she treated me to a nice concert in the city and then a tour. It was one of my most memorable experiences, and what better way to attend a piano concerto than with a piano professor?
The first time I celebrated Halloween
Halloween is not a big thing in Syria and I was frightened at first when I walked out of my room to find a bunch of Batmen and Miley’s, but after that It was fun to join in all the festivities. The Halloween party we had at Memorial House was especially amusing.
The first time I realized that I was finally following my dreams
That was actually a few days ago when I auditioned for the Second Major in Piano at Blair (and aced it). It was nice to feel like I was finally going after what I want and doing what’s best for me. From that moment on, I became a Piano Major (well, half a piano major, since I am a double major in Biology). It felt amazing and nothing could take away my joy.
The first Christmas tree that I helped decorate.
In Syria, I loved seeing Christmas trees around the holiday season, but I had never participated in decorating one with glittery ornaments. This year was my year, and my favorite things to put on the tree were Candy Canes. There’s something about a tree bearing candy that makes my insides tingle.
I bet there are more things that I can’t remember, but these few things are enough to help me sleep with a big smile tonight. It’s been a great semester, filled with new and fun experiences. I am looking forward to see what the next seven semesters have for me.