Jordan Long

Some of you may know our Campus Celebrity by the name of Jordan Long, others may recognize him as DJ Spin & Tonic. Read on to discover the man behind the name(s).
 
A junior from Gross Pointe, Michigan, Jordan is involved in a variety of activities around campus. As an aspiring surgeon, Jordan is premed with a music major and chemistry minor.  In addition to being a member of the varsity diving team, he also actively pursues his love of music through DJing and writing/producing his own music.
 
Jordan started diving at the age of 14. His initial interest was sparked while watching the 2004 Olympics: “I was just so intrigued by the acrobatic nature of the sport so I decided to try out in high school,” explains Jordan. Little did he know that by 2010, he would break a 400 point score and place 4^th at the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC).
 
His typical training schedule? Morning practices from 6:30am – 8:00am three times per week, one-hour weight lifting sessions three times per week, and an additional two-hour practice from 12pm – 2pm everyday. Although he only plans on diving through college, Jordan aspires to make the NCAA’s before he graduates. When asked how he maintains the motivation to get through such a demanding schedule, Jordan explained, “I have always been athletic. I love the sport and setting new goals. Even though it’s mentally and physically draining, it’s so satisfying.”
 
Jordan’s passion for music began early. His Grandmother’s piano playing sparked his fascination and by the age of four, Jordan had begun taking piano lessons. While piano remains his favorite instrument, Jordan’s musical abilities evolved into playing the saxophone, the violin, and eventually writing electronic music. He has been composing electronic music since middle school, and has thus far produced 10 finished songs. When describing the writing process Jordan explains, “I just think of a song that has a connection to what I’m feeling at the moment. But because I love sharing music, I still make it appealing to others. Usually I’ll get an idea and I just start messing around on the keyboard. I’ll hear it in my head and then the hardest part starts – putting it in the software, getting the right synths, and organization.” Multiple compositions are still in the works, ranging from dubstep to progressive house pieces!
 
Jordan, or should we say DJ Spin & Tonic, is also involved in the music blog Jive Mansion. A good friend, Cody K., asked Jordan to become a writer for the blog and he “absolutely hopped on board.” Despite the variety of his musical achievements, Jordan’s proudest moment was the release of his first big song, “Middle Fingers Up,” at last year’s Kappa Formal. “I dropped the song at midnight. The venue was sick. I was in this elevated DJ booth and the energy of the crowd was great.” Check it out here.
 
Looking forward, Jordan is unsure regarding his future. He plans to take a year off to study for the MCAT and produce music to see if he can make it in the industry. If not, he hopes to attend medical school while continuing to produce music.
 
Balancing classes, getting into medical school, diving, AND producing music is anything but easy. Jordan believes time management is key, “if you love something, then you learn to make sacrifices to accomplish your goals and it will be worth all the trouble. You just find the time to do the things you love.” With his great attitude, passion, and undying work ethic, it is no surprise that Jordan is so successful at so many different things.
 
Check out Jordan’s music here and be sure to support him at Duke’s next home meet on January 20^th at 5pm vs. University of Virginia!