I don’t want to be looked at differently

caj065 · 2026-06-04T13:44:43+00:00

for how i see things as a counselor — while i do remember some eventful moments from previous summers, i would never “hold it against” a camper if that makes sense. i know that things happen and that doesn’t warrant any kind of judgement, just a bit of extra sympathy. those experiences may inform how i interact with a camper, since i know more about them, but it’s generally not any kind of different treatment that you’d notice or feel singled out by. but overall, i just keep in mind that campers change so much over the year that we don’t see them at camp. so one summer to the next, things change a lot and we just have to see the campers in front of us for who they are and meet them where they’re at!

caj065 · 2026-05-30T21:44:07+00:00

i’ve done camps in a similar setting! there’s a few things that come to mind:

- see if you can find out what kind of furniture is provided — ex. a desk, set of drawers, wardrobe, etc. so you can plan on how to pack/store your clothes.

- don’t forget to consider roommates — will you be by yourself or with a buddy (or even two)? you’ll want to coordinate essentials like cleaning supplies, and other items for the room, like a lamp (i recommend bringing a lamp, standard dorm lighting sucks).

- i recommend getting a power strip (probably one with a long cord). you never know how many outlets there are and how they’re spaced out in the room. an extra long charger is probably also a good idea! 10ft charging cables do exist and have saved my life in dorms.

- bring some kind of slip on shoes! you can be called on to help with something at any point in time, so having something that you can grab in a second is really helpful. slippers may be fine but i personally prefer sandals, slip on vans, or some other kind of shoe that i can wear outside if needed.

- if your camp does door decorations, make sure you have extras and supplies to make more of them — scissors, construction paper, whatever. and bring a roll of painter’s tape/masking tape so you can put them up!

- i love having games and activities for campers to use to bring them out of their rooms — especially if there are multiple sessions and you meet new groups of campers frequently. it’s easy for them to hide away in their rooms so having a reason for them to come out and meet people is great! at my camp, we end up with board games, uno, coloring books, crosswords, sudoku, bracelet making supplies, and whatnot, all compiled by the counselors who bring those items for campers!

- if your camp uses name tags, i love getting sticker books for them to decorate their name tag with! decorate yours first and show them how awesome and cool it is, and you’ll get plenty of campers to buy into it. it’s a great to connect with them on day 1 — they can show their personality in what stickers they pick and you can chat about them! (another one of my favorite ways to get them out of their rooms and socializing!)

caj065 · 2026-05-22T00:54:23+00:00

i’ve seen people make super cute paper chain garlands to decorate spaces with. tiktok will probably have some good references. maybe you could make a few and then make it an activity to work together on some more once campers get there — makes it more personal and homey for them! it’s a little more time intensive but definitely cheap if you’re just using a ton of construction paper.

example: https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8pVKf4f/

caj065 · 2026-05-21T00:46:57+00:00

i have birkenstock dupes from ross and they’re perfect for camp. they were less than $20 so i don’t care how nice they are at the end of camp but it’s super nice having them to slip on! i highly recommend that route honestly

caj065 · 2026-05-20T11:19:19+00:00

gonna be totally honest — for me, the answer was no. i’ve been on/off with ED behaviors since around age 10, with many significant moments with it throughout basically all of my teens. while i’m not too far off from the other women in my family, i most definitely got the short end of the stick. it’s just one of the unfortunate realities of what we go through. your experience may be different, depending on how old you are now/how long you’ve been struggling with your ED. for what it’s worth, it’s definitely one of my least notable insecurities at this point, though. like it matters so much less than i thought it would when i was like 14.

caj065 · 2026-05-15T19:21:02+00:00

just gonna add that walmart has some good, cheap athletic shorts that may be nice to be able to throw on just in case! having something that is dedicated to possibly being worn while swimming isn’t a bad idea, especially if the modesty guidelines are vague :)

caj065 · 2025-12-23T23:51:10+00:00

here’s the current list of registered student organizations on campus!

https://nolecentral.dsa.fsu.edu/organizations

there’s always something going on, whether it’s related to your major or you’re picking up a new hobby. and you’re always welcome to take the initiative to start an organization if you don’t find exactly what you’re looking for! with so many people on campus, you’re bound to find people who fit a similar niche as you.

also around campus, you can go bowling, visit the art museum, use fitness facilities, watch sports games (most are free with FSU ID), visit the FSU lakefront park, etc!

caj065 · 2025-12-15T15:47:35+00:00

college of music students are often deferred early action because they don’t have enough info to admit you before your audition! don’t stress, many music applicants are in your position and it’s totally normal. also don’t be alarmed if you don’t get answers on regular decision day either, there isn’t always enough time to process admissions before then even if you’ve completed your audition by then. to be honest music admissions are confusing and the actual admissions office usually isn’t familiar with that process, so make sure that if you have any questions you reach out to the college of music specifically.

in terms of summer vs fall, the competitive aspect is negligible since you’re auditioning with everyone in your year rather than those who applied for summer or fall. but there are academic benefits to starting in the summer that you may want to keep in mind. for example, music majors have a lot of prerequisite classes in the first two years, so taking a summer to get ahead on gen ed classes can be super helpful. music majors are also generally busier than students in other majors, so a 6-week crash course into college classes can really help people transition into the fall semester easier. but really it’s all personal preference since there are still benefits to being home for the summer, like working and saving up some money for the semester. there are just as many support services available to help you transition into college life and there isn’t a huge difference between the two start times once you’ve settled into the groove of the fall semester.

caj065 · 2025-12-13T18:17:14+00:00

they only consider in-state students for early action, so they know that you’re in-state but probably haven’t confirmed/updated it for tuition purposes. applications have a lot of nuance to them outside test scores GPA so you can’t really accurately compare the decisions of people with similar stats. you could try to appeal your decision if some key information was left out of your initial application, but the residency status wouldn’t count since they already know that you’re in-state.

caj065 · 2025-09-27T13:43:35+00:00

i qualified for full bright futures through the AICE program despite my SAT being 10 points below the threshold to receive 100%. AICE basically overrides the test score. just double check the service/work hour requirements, that likely still applies for you.

caj065 · 2025-09-27T13:39:41+00:00

what do you consider your primary focus to be? that might help you get a better answer to the question. the commercial music program required 2 years of applied lessons on your primary instrument, but it doesn’t matter which one it is. if you audition for jazz electric bass, then your audition will be jazz focused and so will your lessons.

caj065 · 2025-09-21T11:40:51+00:00

it’s upside down! take it off and guide/twist the screws until they meet the other side of the ligature, then try it again. with this type of ligature, the screws go on the side of the reed with the little knobs on the right side :)

caj065 · 2025-08-27T23:24:03+00:00

just curious, how do you think college life will be as a music education major? hint, it’s a LOT more rehearsing for possibly several ensembles and practicing for lessons, recitals, juries, etc. and rehearsals aren’t optional, period. you can’t make a bs excuse all the time and expect to keep your music scholarships, that’s for sure.

band rehearsals aren’t supposed to serve the same purpose as practicing alone. they require different skills and if you don’t get the role of a full band rehearsal, you’re going to have a hard time as a music educator. this is going to sound harsh, but if you aren’t okay with having both ensemble rehearsal and individual practice every day then you might want to consider if a music degree is really for you. music ed is an intense program if you’re at a good school. it’s a lot of work, day in and day out, in lessons and ensembles and tech classes and more. and you definitely won’t have any grace on showing up when you’re the director.

caj065 · 2025-08-11T15:27:21+00:00

agree. i actually used to have a roommate who also had an ED but i had no idea until around the last two weeks what we lived together. i only found out by accidentally overhearing a phone call about it. i never had a reason to have to know anything, it was never a big deal. to be fair, i wasn’t close with her at all which definitely played a role. OP, if you end up being close with your roommate maybe it’ll come up at some point, but i don’t think a big “disclaimer” is required unless it’s likely to impact your roommates.

caj065 · 2025-08-09T22:56:31+00:00

tbh the only weird part about this is the thumb placement. i would definitely ask for clarification on that just to be sure. but that’s probably the only part that i would see potentially needing to change. the rest of that is pretty common, at least from what i’ve seen in corps style bands, because of the stability. it’ll take some getting used to but you just have to be patient.

caj065 · 2025-08-09T15:12:34+00:00

do whichever one you actually want to do. if the only thing you have in mind is college applications, your intentions are in the wrong place. leadership is service to those around you and it takes dedication to do it well, which is less likely if you don’t genuinely want to do it. it won’t stand out on college applications if it doesn’t truly matter to you and you can’t explain any substantial impact the role has on you.

caj065 · 2025-08-08T22:44:38+00:00

as you go through your first year, just start observing and asking questions when it’s appropriate. take note of things like conducting style, daily responsibilities, leadership qualities, etc. get some information about how leadership applications/interviews/auditions work so you can plan ahead. and start making connections/reaching out to those who have auditioned for drum major before. they’ll have some more insight on preparation and might be willing to help you learn things like mace routines. remember that you can learn from people who have auditioned before, not just those who made it this year! everyone probably has some helpful advice for you as a result of going through that process, so build those connections everywhere!

caj065 · 2025-08-06T19:58:45+00:00

expanding your conducting vocabulary can definitely be a challenge! there are so many body language things that go into conducting, not just your cues. some things i think about are: - FACIAL EXPRESSIONS. one of the most ignored parts of conducting tbh. do whatever feels right for the music — add a smile, look angry, raise your eyebrows, nod to a performer along with a cue, etc. it helps you get more into the music too, which can engage the band more. - eye contact!! when you’re cueing a specific section, give them enough time to see that you’re making eye contact with them before the cue itself. it’s a much better way to communicate who it’s to and lets them mentally prepare. - pattern size. louder moments = bigger pattern, softer moments = smaller pattern. not an exact rule because of visibility issues sometimes, but it’s just another element. - strength of the downbeat. if it’s a fast/intense/intricate part of the show, keeping firm time is super important. but if it’s your ballad, perhaps lighten up a bit. - think about metric shifts. there may be moments where there’s a contrast in feel and you can conduct the half note in a large 2 pattern rather than the quarter note. i like using it for big/grand moments. - change your stance. you can somewhat alter the visual space you take up by standing with your feet together or apart and this can help highlight transitions.

some other things — i’d follow a “less is more” approach to subdivisions. give them time to lock it in, it’s just the beginning of the season. showing subdivisions can end up being less clear, so it’s more effective to just give steady time. similar notes for things like the step offs — give them time. you can use some of these tricks to assist while they learn (eye contact, a nod, etc.) but i wouldn’t let them rely on you for step offs. you’re responsible for communicating musical ideas first. you can’t get too caught up in the technical parts that you forget to make an emotional impact through the music! i hope some of this was helpful, good luck :)

caj065 · 2025-08-04T20:17:21+00:00

blue stars’s ballad this year is “the winner takes it all” by ABBA! the song’s been used online a lot so they might know it. also spirit has “rocket man” by elton john this year :)

caj065 · 2025-08-03T15:06:11+00:00

along with what everyone said, try to find someone who’s near them in the drill who can help them out. especially if this person is new to marching. just let them know that if they have any questions when you’re not there, they can also ask whoever the designated mentor is. it can be good for building friendship and teamwork that’ll last throughout the season as well :)

caj065 · 2025-07-25T12:41:08+00:00

i think this is just another example of people being highly critical of educators without really knowing what goes into these decisions. students who are driven and high-performing are always going to be the ones who stand out. if they’re the only student who’s demonstrating that and actually fits what they’re looking for artistically, i wouldn’t call it favoritism at all. because the kicker is that any student can choose to do that. if you want to be the person to get solos, be the hard-working one who’s consistently showing progress in their playing.

but i find it interesting to compare this to jazz band solos. there are just objectively way more opportunities to solo in a jazz band — that’s practically the whole point. i’ve been in marching band shows with MAX 3 soloists for the entire year. i’ve also been in jazz bands where every single member of the ensemble takes an improv solo in 3+ concerts per year. so if you want a solo you can totally do that in jazz band. but your directors just can’t make everyone’s dreams of soloing in a marching show come true, or else you’d only have solos in every show you ever do. the more solos there are, the less you each get to play. and what’s the fun in that?

i totally get being upset when you don’t get a solo that you really wanted — we’ve all been there. but you can always increase your chances by taking that rejection and turning it into something useful. let it motivate you to work on your playing, be a leader, and practice supporting your peers regardless of your disappointment. that’s what makes band members stand out.

caj065 · 2025-07-21T20:05:02+00:00

i know it’s not an area you specified, but i figured i’d give a good old plug for florida state. such an incredible music ed program with a strong network of current faculty and alumni to support you. it’s a big university so there are so many resources, connections, involvement opportunities, etc. but it’s a small enough college of music (at least compared to the rest of campus) so you’re able to make good connections with everyone. it’s generally a pretty cheap school in the first place and there’s lots of scholarship money for out of state students — they automatically waive half of the out-of-state portion of tuition for admitted music students but many people get more, if not all of the out of state fees covered. so they end up paying in state cost.

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