If you’ve been involved in band
or chorus throughout high school, you should consider continuing your
involvement in college! Participating in your college’s band or choir is a
great way to get involved on campus and meet people who have similar interests.
Some students find that getting involved in a familiar activity like band or
choir can help with homesickness, since you’ll be in an environment that you’ve
been involved in for a long time, and you’ll be spending time doing something
that you love.
Being involved in music in
college can also provide a little more structure in your schedule. Some
students struggle with the amount of free time that they suddenly have in
college, and spending a few hours a week in rehearsal can help tremendously
with that transition.
If you’re looking for another
reason to get involved, sometimes students in these groups have opportunities
to travel around the country or across the globe to perform! The year after I
graduated college, my college marching band went to London for a week and
performed in a New Year’s Day parade. You never know what opportunities these
ensembles might bring!
Check out your college’s website
for more information about instrumental or vocal music groups, and call or
email the contact person to learn about how to get involved! Many schools will
have representatives from different groups at summer orientation, so keep an
eye out there as well!
I participated in the UNI
marching band for all four years of college, and to this day, I’m so glad I
did! I moved to campus early for a week of rehearsals, so by the time classes
started, I was already familiar with campus and had met dozens of people through
the band. It definitely helped me feel more comfortable on campus, and it
helped so much when I was feeling homesick. Performing at every football game
helped me feel more connected to the university, and I always had a lot of fun.
I still love going back to campus in the fall to watch the band perform.
There are so many great reasons
to be involved with music in college, so make sure to consider!
Susan - ICAN Coralville Center
Susan - ICAN Coralville Center
