For my final required blog post, I decided to write about perception of Greek organizations on campus. Fraternities and sororities are defined as fraternal social organizations for collegiate students. These organizations are usually divided by sex: fraternities are typically restricted to men, and sororities typically for women. However, sometimes there are exceptions to this rule, and I am a part of one of these particular organizations.
Just two weeks ago, I was officially initiated as a sister into Sigma Alpha Iota, the International Music Fraternity. Started in 1903 at the University of Michigan School of Music, Sigma Alpha Iota currently has 222 active collegiate chapters and 120 active alumnae chapters. SAI is one of the few Greek organizations that has such a strong life after a student's undergraduate experience. Regardless of where a sister of SAI chooses to relocate after graduation, she is bound to have an SAI alumnae chapter available to her relatively close.
I have truly had the time of my life getting to know all of the amazing sisters and sharing a common bond through music. My big sister and I have a wonderful relationship; already we have supported each other in our recitals and other performances, and are generally very close. I've developed friendships with girls that span all majors in Hartt, and I know that I certainly would not have become friends with them, or even made conversation, had I not been a part of SAI. However, telling my friends and family hasn't gone without its struggles and confusion on the other end of things.
One of the biggest points of confusion from my family and friends when telling them I was part of an International Music Fraternity was this: "How can you be in a fraternity when you're a girl? Aren't fraternities only for boys? How does that even work?" Truth be told, I too, was initially confused when I heard it was a fraternity. After the collegiate level, adults who have had an active life in music(i.e faculty members at a college where there is a chapter of SAI) can be named a Distinguished Member, for their contributions to music on a national and/or international level. There are four types of distinguished membership, two of which can be presented to either a man or a woman. So, because a post-collegiate member can be male, Sigma Alpha Iota is considered a fraternity, although at the collegiate level it is more like a sorority.
Another main concern people had when I told them I was a member of SAI was this: "Don't sorority girls just party all the time? Did you have to endure hazing while pledging?"
Again, I can understand why those close to me would have these concerns. Many Greek organizations unfortunately, have a reputation of constant partying and hazing for their pledges because these occurrences do exist. However, I can honestly say that neither of these exist in Sigma Alpha Iota. In fact, their opposition of these activities is a large portion of their statement and ideals. As SAI members, we are not allowed to talk about anything related to the organization at parties where they may be any kind of illegal or underage activity, even if we are not partaking in it. Also, at such events where this may be a possibility, we are not allowed to wear our SAI pins, as wearing them means we will behave in a way that is proper and respectful.
In terms of hazing, SAI has absolutely no tolerance for it. In fact, there is an entire policy on hazing in our handbook, and is explained in great detail. At one of the first recruitment events, the sisters made a huge posterboard explaining this policy, and that it simply isn't done. With any sort of event for the pledges, our Vice President of Membership made sure to run every little detail by us, and stressed the importance of our comfort with any situation. If we were in fact uncomfortable with any portion of a ceremony or event, it was considered hazing. So, in that sense, SAI is very fervent about making sure illegal or disturbing activities are not associated with the sisters.
Tuesday, April 30, 2013
RPW: Pippin Review
For one of my blog posts, I decided to do a review of the revival of the musical Pippin, which started previews on Broadway about a month ago, and had its official opening last week. With music by Steven Schwartz, Pippin uses a performance troupe, led by their Leading Player, to tell the story of a young prince and his journey to adulthood. The original production premiered in 1972 on Broadway, directed and choreographed by the iconic Bob Fosse. The music and choreography of the show is very reflective of the era in which it was created, and because of this is considered by some to be a rather "dated" production. However, seeing the revival production, I can say that Pippin is the farthest thing from dated.
There were many changes from the original production to this revival, most of which I can say I enjoyed and were positive changes. The biggest change would have to be the concept. In the original production, the concept was rather unclear. It wasn't set in a particular way, and was made in a way that could foster numerous productions of different scales and levels. In the revival, director Diane Paulus(of HAIR and Porgy and Bess directorial fame) took a completely new route, setting Pippin in a circus. She enlisted help from a French circus company, creating an ensemble of acrobats and circus arts. These elements enhanced the production in ways I never thought possible. It was captivating to constantly be suprirsed by what types of daring tricks the ensemble, and even lead players, would be performing next.
Broadway actress Patina Miler played the role of the Leading Player. Although this role is usually played by a male actor(and the original, Ben Vereen, won a Tony for it in its premiere), Miller was absolutely phenomenal. The role of the Leading Player is arguably one of the most demanding in the world of musical theater. The actor never leaves the stage, and is constantly leading the ensemble of players in their singing and dancing. Miller was effortless in both her musicality and dance execution, and had a constant energy throughout the entire performance.
Quite possibly the biggest standout excluding Miller would have to be Andrea Martin, who played the role of Pippin's grandmother, Berthe. Although the show has its funny moments, Berthe is the clear comic relief in the musical, and Martin was perfectly cast. She's known to Broadway audiences as having played Frau Blucher in the fairly recent production of Young Frankenstein, and has been in many films, including My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Martin was perfectly witty and just all-around perfect; her number had the audience on their feet...before it was even over!
I saw Pippin the night after its first preview, which was a pretty cool experience. When a show is in previews, the artistic team can make changes during this time that will make the show different when it officially opens. So, this means that I could have seen parts of the show that became slightly altered by the time the masses came to see the production. Also, the majority of the audience members that go to previews are your typical NY Theater audience: they know the story, they know the music, and want to be entertained. Although it may seem trivial, seeing a show among theater people can be quite a different experience than with amateur theatergoers.
I thoroughly enjoyed Diane Paulus' revival of Pippin. The Tony Award nominations were announced today, and it received 10 nominations. Here's hoping it at least wins a few!
There were many changes from the original production to this revival, most of which I can say I enjoyed and were positive changes. The biggest change would have to be the concept. In the original production, the concept was rather unclear. It wasn't set in a particular way, and was made in a way that could foster numerous productions of different scales and levels. In the revival, director Diane Paulus(of HAIR and Porgy and Bess directorial fame) took a completely new route, setting Pippin in a circus. She enlisted help from a French circus company, creating an ensemble of acrobats and circus arts. These elements enhanced the production in ways I never thought possible. It was captivating to constantly be suprirsed by what types of daring tricks the ensemble, and even lead players, would be performing next.
Broadway actress Patina Miler played the role of the Leading Player. Although this role is usually played by a male actor(and the original, Ben Vereen, won a Tony for it in its premiere), Miller was absolutely phenomenal. The role of the Leading Player is arguably one of the most demanding in the world of musical theater. The actor never leaves the stage, and is constantly leading the ensemble of players in their singing and dancing. Miller was effortless in both her musicality and dance execution, and had a constant energy throughout the entire performance.
Quite possibly the biggest standout excluding Miller would have to be Andrea Martin, who played the role of Pippin's grandmother, Berthe. Although the show has its funny moments, Berthe is the clear comic relief in the musical, and Martin was perfectly cast. She's known to Broadway audiences as having played Frau Blucher in the fairly recent production of Young Frankenstein, and has been in many films, including My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Martin was perfectly witty and just all-around perfect; her number had the audience on their feet...before it was even over!
I saw Pippin the night after its first preview, which was a pretty cool experience. When a show is in previews, the artistic team can make changes during this time that will make the show different when it officially opens. So, this means that I could have seen parts of the show that became slightly altered by the time the masses came to see the production. Also, the majority of the audience members that go to previews are your typical NY Theater audience: they know the story, they know the music, and want to be entertained. Although it may seem trivial, seeing a show among theater people can be quite a different experience than with amateur theatergoers.
I thoroughly enjoyed Diane Paulus' revival of Pippin. The Tony Award nominations were announced today, and it received 10 nominations. Here's hoping it at least wins a few!
Monday, April 29, 2013
RPW: Response to Rebecca's post on the Freshman 15
This post is in response to Rebecca's post about the Freshman 15.
I must admit, before coming to college I heard a lot about the Freshman 15 "Phenomenon", but didn't really understand how it was possible. I assumed that those who eat rather healthily and exercised on a fairly regular basis in high school would be able to behave similarly in college without much difficulty. However, once being put in a college living situation, unlike most people's living situations pre-college, I can honestly say that I have a different view of this very common predicament for college students.
One of the components of Rebecca's post that I found very intriguing was her section on alcohol consumption. In my observations, I've seen that most people that gain the Freshman 15 have done so due to poor eating habits or lack of exercise, but never once have I thought that alcohol would be a contributing factor. While I knew that alcoholic beverages were not exactly low-calorie options, I was rather unaware how many calories they packed, and how frequent alcohol consumption could lead to weight gain.
Another part of Rebecca's post that I can relate to is her discussion of late night snacking. Although I think at some points this is inevitable, when students are up until all hours working on assignments, I don't think the University's food system helps this problem. In fact, it seems like they almost encourage it. Hawk's Nest is open until 10:30 I believe, and the Deli in Konover does not begin making sandwiches that count as meal swipes until 10:00, counting for the "Late Night" meal. While I think that is nice to have these options, I feel as though the University is encouraging unhealthy eating through the late night meal option.
As my freshman year comes to a close, I can honestly say that I was not as healthy as I wanted to be. As proactive as I was initially with going to the gym and eating healthy, often taking these routes can be time-consuming, and for someone like me as a Hartt double major it is near impossible to keep up with constant exercise and having to sometimes wait longer for healthier options at Gengras and at Commons. I know that next year, having spent a year at the University, I will have a better idea of what I need to do to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and with having the opportunity to cook my own food, will hopefully be able to become a healthier person.
I must admit, before coming to college I heard a lot about the Freshman 15 "Phenomenon", but didn't really understand how it was possible. I assumed that those who eat rather healthily and exercised on a fairly regular basis in high school would be able to behave similarly in college without much difficulty. However, once being put in a college living situation, unlike most people's living situations pre-college, I can honestly say that I have a different view of this very common predicament for college students.
One of the components of Rebecca's post that I found very intriguing was her section on alcohol consumption. In my observations, I've seen that most people that gain the Freshman 15 have done so due to poor eating habits or lack of exercise, but never once have I thought that alcohol would be a contributing factor. While I knew that alcoholic beverages were not exactly low-calorie options, I was rather unaware how many calories they packed, and how frequent alcohol consumption could lead to weight gain.
Another part of Rebecca's post that I can relate to is her discussion of late night snacking. Although I think at some points this is inevitable, when students are up until all hours working on assignments, I don't think the University's food system helps this problem. In fact, it seems like they almost encourage it. Hawk's Nest is open until 10:30 I believe, and the Deli in Konover does not begin making sandwiches that count as meal swipes until 10:00, counting for the "Late Night" meal. While I think that is nice to have these options, I feel as though the University is encouraging unhealthy eating through the late night meal option.
As my freshman year comes to a close, I can honestly say that I was not as healthy as I wanted to be. As proactive as I was initially with going to the gym and eating healthy, often taking these routes can be time-consuming, and for someone like me as a Hartt double major it is near impossible to keep up with constant exercise and having to sometimes wait longer for healthier options at Gengras and at Commons. I know that next year, having spent a year at the University, I will have a better idea of what I need to do to maintain a healthy lifestyle, and with having the opportunity to cook my own food, will hopefully be able to become a healthier person.
Tuesday, April 23, 2013
RPW: Response to Meghan's Response to Lani's Post
While looking over my classmate's blogs, I noticed that many people had posted or responded to posts about the food system at UHA. This seemed like a popular topic, and so I thought I'd throw my opinion into the ring.
I agree with both Lani and Meghan about the time slots for the meal plan, but I have a slightly different reason for my problems with that. As a performance major, when we're in production weeks for the operas, we'll often have to go straight from our classes to rehearsal for four or five hours at night. Because of this, usually we'll have to skip dinner, or go to Konover after rehearsal, but usually it's really crowded at that point. It would be nice to have the option of using my dinner meal swipe at lunch, in addition to my lunch swipe. For example, I'd have something from Extreme Pita for lunch, and then at the same time could use my dinner swipe for a soup or salad, that I could then eat during dinner. I understand this could get a tad complicated, but it's frustrating that our options become so limited when we are in production weeks for the numerous performances we have throughout the year.
I also agree with both Lani and Meghan on the amount of healthy food that is available at the three main places to eat: University Commons, Gengras, and Hawk's Nest. At Hawk's Nest and Gengras both, it almost seems as if the University is penalizing you for wanting to be healthy. For example, at Extreme Pita, choosing to put my pita ingredients in a bowl and opting to not eat the bread does not count as a meal. If I want to get one of the specified menu items that has perhaps more vegetables than the meal equivilencies, than I either have to pay for a meal plus and use dining dollars, or it does not count for a meal at all.
Another example are the meal equivalencies at Einstein's Bros. Bagels. For Breakfast, you can either get a bagel with shmear(cream cheese, butter, etc) or egg and cheese on a bagel. If you wanted to take a healthier route and have egg whites instead of egg, you have to pay extra outside of the meal swipe. At lunch as well, the healthier alternatives that they advertise, with the exception of the Veg Out, are not meal equivalencies.
I understand that not everything can be made into a meal, but some of the decisions made by UHA Dining don't entirely make sense to me. Although the food overall isn't terrible, I will be certainly glad to be living in the Village next year, where I will have the opportunity to cook more of my own food and rely less on UHA dining options.
I agree with both Lani and Meghan about the time slots for the meal plan, but I have a slightly different reason for my problems with that. As a performance major, when we're in production weeks for the operas, we'll often have to go straight from our classes to rehearsal for four or five hours at night. Because of this, usually we'll have to skip dinner, or go to Konover after rehearsal, but usually it's really crowded at that point. It would be nice to have the option of using my dinner meal swipe at lunch, in addition to my lunch swipe. For example, I'd have something from Extreme Pita for lunch, and then at the same time could use my dinner swipe for a soup or salad, that I could then eat during dinner. I understand this could get a tad complicated, but it's frustrating that our options become so limited when we are in production weeks for the numerous performances we have throughout the year.
I also agree with both Lani and Meghan on the amount of healthy food that is available at the three main places to eat: University Commons, Gengras, and Hawk's Nest. At Hawk's Nest and Gengras both, it almost seems as if the University is penalizing you for wanting to be healthy. For example, at Extreme Pita, choosing to put my pita ingredients in a bowl and opting to not eat the bread does not count as a meal. If I want to get one of the specified menu items that has perhaps more vegetables than the meal equivilencies, than I either have to pay for a meal plus and use dining dollars, or it does not count for a meal at all.
Another example are the meal equivalencies at Einstein's Bros. Bagels. For Breakfast, you can either get a bagel with shmear(cream cheese, butter, etc) or egg and cheese on a bagel. If you wanted to take a healthier route and have egg whites instead of egg, you have to pay extra outside of the meal swipe. At lunch as well, the healthier alternatives that they advertise, with the exception of the Veg Out, are not meal equivalencies.
I understand that not everything can be made into a meal, but some of the decisions made by UHA Dining don't entirely make sense to me. Although the food overall isn't terrible, I will be certainly glad to be living in the Village next year, where I will have the opportunity to cook more of my own food and rely less on UHA dining options.
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