Alumna Status!

This weekend has been such a rush! I am still not entirely certain how I feel, but it's definitely been a great experience.

Thursday afternoon my parents arrived--just a few hours after I had survived my very last final. We puttered around and enjoyed the evening, which was a bit strange. I told Kinsey that I didn't know if I could be entertaining enough to keep them busy in Cedar City, but it seemed to pan out all right. Before I really knew what was happening, it was Friday morning.

Kinsey, Mom, and I spent the morning making "thank you" cards for the professors who had really helped me during my education. There were two who had initially been seen as "hostiles" by a rather naive Kirstin, but this year I've really tried to look past my initial conceptions. Amazingly, my first impressions were proved to be wrong. Because they had different opinions than me I had dismissed them, and that was completely unfair. Both professors are brilliant people in their own way, and I was glad to take the time to acknowledge all they have taught me. Mom (of course) made the most beautiful cards. She's such a talented artist, and I am so blessed to know her!

Once afternoon hit I got into my robes and cap, and we walked over to the school. I got into line with the other theatre majors who were graduating that day (all eight of us) and we wiggled our way into an order. When the procession began the theatre majors all ended up holding hands because we couldn't hold a straight line otherwise (ironically, the dancers marching beside us couldn't keep a straight line and fell behind at least three times). We danced our way beneath the bell tower, jived down the stairs, and passed through the gauntlet of professors cheering us on...and promptly managed to miss our turn. Eventually the college of Performing and Visual Arts was turned in the right direction, and we entered the arena to the sound of Dan Frezza announcing "The Graduates from the school of Performing and Visual Arts." Since Dan is both the husband of one of my favorite professors and the announcer for all of the PVA pre-show messages, it felt rather like coming home to have him do the announcement.

Commencement itself was loooooong. Landon, who beat me out for Student Commencement Speaker, did all right, I suppose. It was very animated and earned a few chuckles, but I like to think I would have done it better (which is likely my own vanity talking). Clayton Christensen gave a really nice address, and I thought his message of asking the right questions was a pertinent one. It really made me think about my studies and if I am asking the right questions of myself. I feel that I am, which makes me feel even better about my choices. I think my favorite part of the ceremony itself (besides moving the tassel over at the end) was the awarding of the honorary degrees. They were such good stories with such good people behind them, and I really want to be worthy of getting an honorary degree some day. And yes, that is officially now on my bucket list.

Saturday we got up early (by my standards) in order to make it to PVA's convocation. The graduates all marched in to the tune of "Swing and Circumstance", and then we all sat on the stage. It was great to watch all of the presentations by the outstanding students for Theatre, Dance, Art, Arts Administration, and Music all presented. We have some really talented people in my graduating class! And then came the important part designed to make proud parents cry: the conferring of the degrees. I was the first student from theatre to be announced. "Kirstin Bone, BIS in Shakespearean Studies." Walking across the stage I shook Dean Mendini's hand and accepted my empty degree case. I felt...effervescent.

After graduation the theatre people all went across the street to the auditorium. We then proceeded to have a rather...epic photoshoot for our graduating class.

Yes, that is us. In a fountain. It was a wonderfully silly way to cap off a wonderful day. My parents, Kinsey, and I then had lunch before I said goodbye to my parents. I'm moving home later this week so I can get ready for the huge move to Alabama, and I am..excited for what waits. Admittedly, I am very sad about no longer having Kinsey as my roommate. I think that, out of everyone I have met here at SUU, she means the most to me. She's practically become a sister to me, and I will miss her so much when I move to Alabama. I have been told repeated times that I can't take her with me since her teacher's certification isn't national yet.

If nothing else, though, I am now an official alumna of SUU, class of 2011. Woo!

My Thoughts on Web 2.0

It's fascinating how computers have changed, even within the past ten years. Our society has gone from only the elite using computers to their use and functions being a required class for every college student at my university to take. Instead of being all about the companies online, computers are about the people using them. Social networks of all kinds are springing up, damaging the ability to communicate in person but allowing millions to connect in newfound ways. Web 2.0 is a good move in that it is not so focused on the money but instead the content; but, at the same time it is a movement that is making my generation become socially incompetent.

(By way of note, this is for my CSIS 1000 class)

Shakespeare Divided

So I've come to a conclusion: people don't understand Shakespeare.

Oh, I know a lot of people say that they don't understand Shakespeare, but I think the problem is a lot wider spread than anyone has realized. How did I come to this conclusion? Well, as a Shakespeare major I have to take all kinds of interesting Shakespearean classes from both the English and Theatre departments here at SUU. In the course of this, though, I've realized that many of the people I work with believe that the Bard belongs either to just the English department or just the Theatre department. How screwed up is that?

My favorite part of my major is how integrated the two aspects of Shakespeare have become. In one class I read certain plays, talk about them, and write papers on them. In the other I perform and watch Shakespeare. To me, the line between the two sides has become blurred almost past recognition, and it frustrates me that no one else seems to see how silly it is to have them parted.

Since I got yelled at today by one of my professors about my ideas of integration, I'm simply not going to bother with trying to help SUU make the Bard whole again. They can turn out English majors who know nothing about how to speak Shakespeare for all I care. When I'm a professor, though, I intend to teach a class about Shakespeare. Not Shakespeare from an English perspective, not Shakespeare from a Theatre perspective.

Just Shakespeare.

All Rise For The Judge

I just figured that everyone would be impressed with what awesome thing I got to do today.

Yesterday I got an email from one of the professors saying that the high school drama competition needed judges, and I figured the $30 would be good. So, I sent the professor an email saying I could do it. Now, like any sane person, I thought that it was region drama. And then we got there. When I saw the sign that said "Welcome 3A State Drama Festival" I nearly died of shock. I was going to be judging state drama?!?!

Well, before I knew it I was judging kids that had been sophomores when I was a senior. First round was comedic monologues, second round was classical scenes, and third round was dramatic monologues. Oh my goodness, it was so much fun! The kids in my last round said I was the funniest judge they had had all day and that I pretty much rocked. :D I felt pretty cool just then. I remember being at State competition and admiring the judges, thinking of when I would be able to be wise enough to be one. Oh, it was just... Wow. I'm so excited. I'd do it again even if they did not pay me.

Hehe!

Poem #1

Unwritten

The words spill down the page
Stark and curled
On the lined surface of the paper
Meaning. Meaningless.
Words.



Let Me Fall

Words imposed on music
A tuned thought
Heart crescendos with each beat
Breath catches
The soul falls into the rhythm and
Perfection is found

A Thousand Words

Currently at SUU the Braithwaite Gallery is a display of photographs from National Geographic, and it includes some absolutely breathtaking works. My creative writing professor, as part of our class, took us down to the gallery and told us to come up with a story to tell where one of the photographs was the climax of a story.

The story I would write would be based on the photograph that I considered to be the most striking: that of the Afghani girl.

I can see this photograph being the climax of a story about a girl who has lost everything and has been sold into slavery. She would struggle through the psychological difficulties of being without her family and friends, and she would also have to face the impending problem of becoming a piece of property. The moment of climax, which this picture would capture, would be when she is being sold and suddenly a bid of an unusually high nature is placed on her. She turns her head, and it is her brother who has just placed the bid.

SUU Idol

There I was standing up on a stage with a room full of people watching me, and I had no idea what I had been thinking when I signed that paper.

Whether or not you were aware of it, as a part of Welcome Back Week there is a competition going on by the name of SUU Idol. Basically, what happened is that anyone could sign up for an audition, and then you would compete for a spot in the final six. I was there with my friend Laura, who was doing a photography assignment for the University Journal, and supporting my friend Rachel when she performed when it struck me: I could get up and sing something.

One problem. I had nothing prepared. My mind instantly went into a scramble as I tried to figure out what on Earth I would sing, and then Laura leaned over and told me to just get up and sing “Amazing Grace.” With that it was decided. Taking a deep breath I snuck back to the table and signed up for the competition. The girl smiled and handed me a paper with my number on it, and my fate was sealed. There was no backing out. I was doomed.

Almost instantly my upset stomach—the plague for the past week—began acting up again, and I disappeared for the next few minutes in hopes of dealing with that. When I walked out they were three people away from me, and with a nervous sigh I took my seat in the front row. Before I knew it I was up on stage introducing myself to the four judges with a nervous grin. I've never been so embarrassed before in my life, but I was determined to persevere. Taking a deep breath I opened my mouth and began to sing.

For the next minute or so all eyes were on me as I sang the one verse, and it was quiet enough you could hear a pin drop. I was worried that I had botched it. When I was finished the judges gave their critiques, and one of them just...hit me. Isaac, the Simon of the competition, said that my rendition made him want to believe in something. That is the highest form of compliment possible, and I was grinning like an idiot when I got off stage.

I didn't get sent on to the next round, for one reason or another, and I'm okay with that. I was just glad that I at least tried, and that I was able to do so well with no preparation. That kind of opportunity is just one of the many wonderful things that have happened to me here at SUU, and I am so glad I decided to come here. This is where I belong.

Now it is your turn. Go out there, take risks, and get involved. You never know what could happen, but you should at least try.