By Blake Hollingsworth | Staff Writer
For many seniors, Sing is more than a tradition; it’s a defining Baylor experience that fosters creativity, leadership and lifelong friendships.
“I came to Baylor largely because of Sing; it has always been a creative outlet for me,” said Tomball senior Grace Williams, a Zeta Tau Alpha Sing chair. “It allowed me to stay connected to music and performance while studying something more science-based. It kept my artistic spirit alive.”
As seniors get set to take part in their final Sing performance, they reflect on the cherished bonds the annual show has created. For San Antonio senior Lex Cho, a Sigma Chi Sing chair, those bonds made the long hours of preparation worth it.
“It’s a chance to get to know guys you might not have interacted with otherwise,” Cho said. “Whether it’s learning a dance move or helping someone with a routine, it builds connections that last beyond Sing. Practice can suck sometimes, but that’s as much chapter involvement as you can get — spending hours and hours on end in a room with your brothers. It definitely makes you close.”
Williams said she has become “best friends” with fellow Zeta Sing chair, Katy senior Bella Geiman.
“We came into Zeta together as babies and played on the same intramural basketball team,” Williams said. “We’ve been Sing chairs together for two years now, and it’s so cool to be able to do something so niche … You make the weirdest connections, and suddenly our sorority of 300 girls doesn’t feel so big.”
Not only can seniors point to relationships as a result of Sing, but it has also improved their leadership abilities, specifically among the Sing chairs.
“You [Sing chairs] are the example, so you can’t ever expect [Sing members] to do something that you don’t do yourself,” Cho said. “You’re always under a spotlight, so there comes that pressure. You’re the leader, so you want to know the dance is perfect. You want to know everything so they feel comfortable coming to you for advice.”
Geiman said she uses the hard work of fellow Sing members as motivation.
“I want to try hard because my friends have been working for nine months on this act,” Geiman said. “It almost teaches you selflessness, because you’re not doing it for you; you’re doing it for your sisters or your friends.”
This Sing season is seniors’ final chances to showcase their character to the broader Baylor community. Sigma Chi, for example, has been working to reestablish its Sing culture, aiming to recapture past success.
“Sigma Chi was a powerhouse in Sing in the ‘70s,” Cho said. “We want to bring that same culture back into our fraternity, and I’m excited to come back later, years down the road, and see what this small, little fire can do.”
Zeta, on the other hand, hopes to deliver a performance that stands out from its past few performances, opting to showcase a theatrical plot.
“We want to really sell the story and make it easily digestible across all audiences, viewers, as well as the judges,” Williams said. “We really leaned into the edge of musical theater and having really distinguishable characters.”
As seniors prepare to enjoy Sing one last time, they urge underclassmen to continually participate in the tradition.
“You get to show these videos to your children and grandkids,” Cho said. “It’s permanently etched in history, and I think that’s super cool. No matter what, I’ll be able to watch and relive those moments with my brothers.”
Williams said the competition’s results shouldn’t discourage members from returning.
“No matter what the outcome is, and no matter what your feelings are about it, do it again,” Williams said. “Having joy for the process and tradition for the sake of experience and memories is really important.”
