Hey my name is Sarah, I'm a freshman at CCU studying Commercial Music and Jazz, with a concentration in Bass. I'm from Summerville South Carolina, coming back to school now after taking a gap year, and Coastal has already become a second home to me. I mainly frequent Thompson library and the practice rooms in the Sands building, but love exploring campus and seeing what's going on (because there's ALWAYS something!)

Hometown

Summerville

Major(s)

Commercial Music and jazz

Clubs, organizations & involvement

I'm involved in the MCJ program as well as the Chanticleer Regiment which is CCU's marching band.

Describe your college experience

After taking a gap year, coming back to school is a big change but it's been great. There's a new event pretty much every day, and everybody on campus is incredibly welcoming. All of the faculty are kind and understanding, and fellow students are just as great. There are plenty of failsafes in place for students who struggle with a wide variety of things. I have done pretty reasonably so far in my first month or so, but if that were to change it is made clear who I can rely on to help.

Tip for future students

Allow yourself to have fun, but don't compare your fun to others'. Everybody is in different stages of life, in different majors, and have different goals. It's okay to say no to a night out or a hangout because you have other things to do. Nobody will judge you nearly as harshly as you think they will.

Favorite class

My favorite class that I've had so far is my Ear training and Sightsinging class because it's allowed me to make connections, musically, that I previously hadn't as an instrumentalist and is incredibly entry-level for anybody who'd be interested.

Career goals

After college, I hope to be an elementary music teacher. I have taken an irregular path to get to that goal, choosing to study commercial music and jazz rather than Music Education, but this path allows me to be a comprehensive gigging and playing musician as well as a teacher for younger generations.

Ideal way to spend a free night

My ideal way to spend a free night, most of the time, is just to stay in. I'm busy enough with classes and rehearsal that I feel the best way to spend a free night with absolutely nothing else to do is just take a long shower, watch a movie, and go to sleep early. If I'm going out with. friends, we'll usually go to Cookout or the beach which is particularly beautiful at sunrise and sunset!

High school or secondary school

Ashley Ridge

Favorite spot on campus

My favorite spots on campus are the turtle bridge and the bridge that connects the Edwards and Brittain buildings. The turtle bridge and Prince lawn are nice places to stroll between classes or during breaks, you can see squirrels, birds, and of course turtles. The bridge between Brittain and Edwards is just pleasant because it's covered and goes through a slightly wooded area. It's a nice refresher between classes.