Going to class. Practice. Homework. Practice. Eating. Practice. Sleeping. Practice. How do students cope with Sing’s workload?
Story by Linda Nguyen
A&E Editor
This week marks the beginning of All-University Sing, and the students involved have been hard at work preparing to perform in front of thousands of people.
Preparation for Sing involves thousands of hours choreographing, practicing and perfecting, but students involved in Sing must still attend classes and participate in many other activities.
Allen junior Stephanie Cappellano is only involved in Sing Alliance part time, but she still had to adjust her schedule to fit her Sing duties. Being involved part time means Cappellano only attends two practices a week, rather than the four practices a week required for full-time Sing Alliance members.
“It’s definitely busy,” Capellano said. “I was actually looking at my schedule and I have practice or a performance every day until Sing is over. Prioritizing is definitely something big. I obviously put school first. I have to go to my job and go through my classes.”
Capellano said her involvement in Sing has forced her to be efficient in her learning.
“I do get a little less sleep than normal,” Capellano said. “Making sure I’m understanding things in class instead of learning outside is big for me, getting things done and not dilly-dallying and making sure I’m focused and getting things I need to get done, done.”
Capellano, who is also a member of the LEAD Core team, a part of the LEAD Living & Learning Center, said throughout her activities she makes sure to take care of herself.
“I skipped a meeting yesterday because I need to know my limit,” Capellano said. “It’s important to take care of myself.”
Spring junior Jessie Heck, one of the Zeta Tau Alpha Sing chairs, said time management is one of the most important skills students need.
“It’s really tough, but it’s a lot of time management,” Heck said. “I’ve kind of figured it out since it is my second year with Sing when is the best time for me to study. You kind of figure it out.”
Heck said her professors have been very helpful throughout her involvement in Sing.
“I had to talk to my O-Chem professor and explain to her,” Heck said. “She met with me a couple days she didn’t have office hours. That was fantastic.”
Heck, who is preparing to take her Medical College Admissions Test in April, said her other Sing chairs have also been very understanding of her schedule.
“I don’t know how to explain dealing with time management and the different meeting times for organizations and my MCAT course,” Heck said. “I make sure my other Sing chairs understand they need to be lenient with my time and I try to work with them. I lean on them as well.”
Heck said, however, that being a part of Sing makes her sacrifices worth it. She said she enjoys teaching her Greek sisters and helping them prepare for the performance.
“Seeing them work hard and finally understand the movements and seeing all the choreography, it’s not even having to go to Pigskin, though that would be great,” Heck said. “Just Sing, all of it put together and knowing that we’re going to be watched by thousands of people makes it all worthwhile.”
