Lessons Learned: A Collection of Thoughts

I have finally finished my first semester of graduate school, which is kind of ridiculous and crazy to think about. My first semester at a new university, with a new set of friends, new surroundings, new town, new part of Ohio for me to live in. A lot of "news." So, what have I learned in this first semester? Here's a list of some serious, and not-so-serious "lessons":

1. When moving in, one should have systematic order for unpacking boxes and organizing their contents.

2. At Kent State, it's important to order a parking pass approximately 6.894267 months before you will ever use it, unless you enjoy walking uphill in a blizzard.
3. Listening to worship music and praying while walking to campus can be a great way to spend a little time with Jesus throughout the day.
4. Somewhere around October, your body replaces the blood in your system with coffee.
5. Why order Papa John's, when Guys is less than a mile down the road?
6. Procrastination kills.
7. At some point, learning when to say "no" can save your life.
8. Northeast Ohio drivers are out to kill.
9. Always plan for technology to be a hater.
10. If BG Parking Services were considered Nazis, KSU Parking Services must be Fascists.
11. God likes sitting in on Research Methods courses. If you listen, He'll even weigh in His thoughts, too.
12. Cello strings are not harmless, they will attack.
13. Some students think the word "OPTIONAL" is written at the top of the syllabus. In light of this, I think I'd like to add, "Thou shalt obey mine commands." Just a suggestion, though.
14. Black squirrels are faster than brown squirrels. Nigh uncatchable.

15. The weather people in Northeast Ohio are pointless.
16. Keeping your office door shut, and one row of lights off is a useful for tricking students, and some professors, into thinking you aren't in your office.
17. Using hot pink staples in the stapler is not professional.
18. Sometimes it's okay to sound stupid in class, as long as you can reasonably defend what you just said. Key word: "reasonably"
19. Stand by what you believe in. This includes Jesus, the Bible, and the fact that you aren't writing a thesis.
20. The next time you consider BSing an assignment, remember what it feels like when you read your students' BSed work... because when you turn in that BSed assignment, your professor, too, will feel offended.
21. Chipotle is a reward, coffee is an essential.
22. If you forgot what being a college student is like because you were out in the field teaching, don't worry, you'll remember how to stay up half the night working on homework by the middle of the semester.
23. Unnecessary amounts of snow are constantly dumped on Cleveland. The only time 2+ feet of snow is ever useful is when it cancels classes.
24. College undergrads, even the most mature ones, will still act like 5th graders when armed with percussion drum sticks.
25. The rock stops to cellos/basses ratio and rosin to violins/violas ratio will NEVER be equal.
26. Wolf resistors are our friends.
27. Bach went to jail at least twice in his career, once for an incident that may have resembled a bar fight.
28. Josquin may have been a good looking man.
29. God LITERALLY will never leave you. He's always there. Always.
30. Keep your priorities straight. Keeping in communication with long-distance friends is always better than being a workaholic.

31. We will break more promises that we make to ourselves than I think we will break with others.
32. Getting more sleep will prevent one from running into doors.
33. Just because it's microwavable doesn't mean it's edible.
34. In 15 degree weather, heat is completely optional (according to College Towers).
35. Everyone has a God meter. How full is yours? When is it fullest? How do you refill?
36. Popping out papers is NOT the same thing as popping out babies.
37. Staying in close contact with great friends makes the long distance A LOT shorter.
38. A Golden Flash is a distressed brown bird, and a Zip is a kangaroo.
39. It's okay if you miss a day at the rec, as long as you don't use the elevator the next day going from classrooms on the 1st floor to offices on the 3rd floor.
40. Bassoon reeds are cool!
41. The Zephyr does NOT have a tree in the middle of their establishment, only an outdoor patio with a tree next to it.
42. The BG Falcons may not be that great at football, but at least they're not as bad as Akron!
43. Clear, direct communication is essential the first time, even if it means losing a good friend.
44. Practicing multiple instruments post-undergrad is A LOT harder than it sounds. A LOT.
45. God will answer our prayers, but it's usually never in the way we expect. When we learn to stop trying to control our lives and God, we can better appreciate and enjoy God's answers and blessings.
46. Even though a college town, nothing in Kent is EVER open as late as it is in Bowling Green.
47. Voldemort has a wife. And she teaches music.
48. When writing any paper longer than 5 pages, make sure you pick a topic that you know you will enjoy, and some topic out of convenience. That bites you in the butt in the end, too.
49. God never promises to take us out of anything, but if we're there, He promises to get us out, and to use it for His glory. He WILL get the glory, in the end.
50. Beauty is fleeting and charm is deceptive.
51. Yes, you can play that high on a violin. Unfortunately.
52. Northeast Ohio in the fall is absolutely beautiful.

53. Bang! is addictive.
54. Rock, paper, scissors always settles who gets to answer the office phone.
55. Be careful, if you think you stand firm. The devil is out prowling around like a lion.
56. When we're the weakest, Jesus is the strongest. Meaning, when He shows up and prevails in our lives and works our weakness for His glory, there is literally no other explanation except through His mercy, grace, and love.

Oh, I'm sure there are others... but those are probably some of the bigger ones. After reading some of those it makes one wonder: What will I be learning next semester?

Does it REALLY matter?

I know, I know. You're staring at the page thinking, "How can this girl post a blog at a time like THIS?" Yes, when I have an impending 20 page paper, more homework, and papers to grade, I'm writing a blog. Why, you ask? Because, my research book has made me, once again, realize what I'd RATHER be doing after I get out of grad school.
In this week's chapter, the author is urging music teachers to utilize research in the classroom to better the educational system. He says that through conducting our own research and implementing the research we read, we could change the course of education in this country. That's a pretty weighty statement, if you ask me. While that may be true, that the research done in the field of music education concerning teaching methods, assessment and evaluation, learning, perception, practice habits, cognition, etc. could very much change music education in many beneficial ways, I can't help, but think of an even bigger and better change.
As I'm also reading this, I'm also seeing this movement on Facebook to "change your profile picture to your favorite cartoon character or past favorite cartoon character to raise awareness about child abuse." A friend of mine posted in his status that he didn't understand why everyone was changing their pictures for the weekend, when the majority of these people probably haven't given a second thought to how they can donate their time and resources to actively taking a part in fighting child abuse. In posting this status update, he's hoping to challenge people to do something, to actively taking a part in providing social justice. As I began thinking about what I could do, again, I couldn't help but think of an even bigger and better way to help - an even bigger and better change.
I want to be Jesus to people. To help them see His light and love and mercy and grace. Let's be honest for a second, if you truly know and follow Christ, your whole life changes. You no longer live for yourself, but for Him, and His people. When I think about all the things I could be doing, whether it's devoting all my extra time to fighting child abuse, or becoming a music teacher and taking an active part in implementing and conducting research, becoming active in politics in the hopes of seeing educational reform... I can't help but think that I can do something more. Thinking about things like this reminds me of a former youth pastor of mine, whose life quote was:

"My greatest fear in life is not to fail, but to succeed in something that does not matter for Christ."

All those things that I COULD be doing... would I be succeeding in ANYTHING for the cause of Christ? Just as important to ask: am I even PASSIONATE about any of that stuff? To be honest, where teaching is concerned, I almost couldn't care less about whether or not I'm used newly researched methods and techniques to teach my children music or not! Honestly, it's not even a part of my teaching philosophy! My philosophy of teaching, and my concerns in teaching, deal with providing children a form of expression so they may be able to express themselves when words just aren't enough, a way to see beyond their surroundings - their "world", and to see the bigger picture of life. But even then, knowing that is what I'm passionate about, if I succeed in those things, will all that matter in the cause of Christ? Certainly, it could help. But then again, I know many people who are very expressive, who think about the "big picture", the world as a whole, and yet have hard hearts toward Christ.


This is what I want to change. This is what I care about. This is what I'm PASSIONATE about. I'm most passionate about high school and college students coming to know the God I know, my Jesus who loves them SO MUCH HE DIED, and to see that there is SO MUCH MORE to life than living day to day, than the carnal living this world provides. And in the end, once this is grasped, a whole and eternal love affair with the God of the universe, EVERYTHING ELSE WILL CHANGE. We can't truly know and be in a relationship with Christ without Him turning our every value, thought, and our entire world as we know it upside down. That's what He came for! If I can lead people to Him, storm the gates of hell and bring Heaven with me, then I think all these other issues would begin to change. As people come to know Christ, they see the madness, the mess that is our world, and they can't help but be passionate to change it. That's what I'm passionate about. Leading people through the gates of Heaven to our Savior, that they may see the world through His eyes, and share this passion to change the world.