Freshmen perspective

To think that my first semester of college is almost over is shocking- almost unreal. Where did all those days go?

Reflecting back on the semester, what made it go by so quickly was very much the work of the Symphony Orchestra. At the start, skepticism of my commitment got the better of me. With rehearsals twice a week, two to two-and-half hours long, who knew how much I could take through this difficult transition phase as a first-semester freshman. Little did I know, however, that joining the Orchestra would be my first best decision at Cornell. Allow me to explain.

In high school, for many of us, orchestra was just another activity to add their list of things to do. Many did it for their resumes, some for their parents, and even fewer, solely for the love of music. But here in college, I realized that no one is forced to do anything and for this matter, everyone is in it for the right reasons. It has been so enjoyable to be able to play with people with one common goal: to produce great music. From engineers to architects, a senior in high school to a graduate student, the orchestra has been the aspect that has introduced me to the rest of the college.

Yet another realization is that the orchestra has been such a great relief from stress and schoolwork. It’s just a place to relax and to have fun. Even before prelims, I come to rehearsals just to have that break from studying. Returning to your dorm with refreshing music in your mind, I learned, is the best way to take a break.

So it turns out that orchestra has been great after all. As I said, my first best decision at Cornell – being part of the Symphony Orchestra.
[Wesley Tillu, Engineering,'09 written for the November Whole Notes]