Sam, I am

Summer of 2007 has certainly been a roller coaster, but I’m not finished yet!

Allow me to introduce myself: My name is Sam, and I’m an incoming freshman at Centre College. Although I’m originally from Huntington, West Virginia, my family packed up our boxes and moved to Evansville, Indiana, shortly after my high school graduation. When the commencement speaker said the usual line that our lives were about to change, he wasn’t kidding! I’ve got a new home, friends, church—add in Centre as my new school, and the package is complete.

This summer, though an adjustment, hasn’t come without a great deal of fun as well. For my senior trip, I visited family members who live in Los Angeles. My first time in California was certainly an adventure! We attended the red carpet events for Oceans 13, saw the musical Wicked (which of course, was wonderful), and even got lost in a neighborhood that only spoke Spanish. No hablo español! The west coast certainly made me regret taking Latin instead of Spanish in high school (despite it’s inevitable help on the SATs).

Now that I’m back home, I’m gearing up for the fall term at my new school. I’ve been shopping for some dorm room essentials, memorizing monologues for auditions with the drama department, and reading our freshman book, The Namesake. I’m also extremely excited about the new Harry Potter book (who isn’t?) and the remake of the movie Hairspray (Have you heard the soundtrack? If not, go purchase it—now!). I’ve gotten the chance to work on some of my own music, which as an artist, is always exciting and extremely gratifying.

I’ve never been more excited to start a new chapter in my life! My decision to choose Centre was multi-layered. I graduated from a small high school (my graduating class had only 26 students!), so I wanted a college that was small and would provide more individual attention. The fact that Danville is, in my opinion, a rather cinematic depiction of the ideal college town is only a plus. Additionally, I wanted a school where I would have the freedom to pursue two majors, one being in dramatic arts. Many other schools didn’t offer the freedoms that Centre’s curriculum did. Finally, the deal was sealed when I visited campus. Not only was the staff helpful, but the student body was courteous. I guess that sounds like a weird thing to comment on. But to me, it makes all the difference that the students take the time to hold doors for each other, to say "thanks", and to offer correct directions to a confused perspective student.

My remaining summer looks promising! I’m packing for Florida even as I finish this entry—my family is celebrating my parents’ 25th wedding anniversary this week. When I come back, I’m going to work at the hospital a few days a week and perhaps visit my old hometown to see how the summer musical (Oklahoma) turned out.

I hope to take you along for my journey into and through the new school year—so tune in!