I am not shy about singing at any time of the day, let us begin there. When I arrived at PC as a freshman, I desperately wanted a place to be able to sing with a group of people that also were not shy to join me in a sing-along of epic proportions. I felt what many incoming students feel, arriving at a new place, fear that I wouldn’t find people who enjoyed the same activities that I did, or that there wouldn’t be a place for me to truly fit in on campus. Finding a club, or a group that is all about positivity and acceptance, was a main priority of mine. What I found at PC was exactly that.
I signed up for the all-female A Cappella group, Anaclastic, at the involvement fair, and it was exactly what I needed. I went into the audition room scared, in front of a semicircle of girls who formed the group, and it was the best audition I had ever been a part of. In addition to singing for them, I answered funny and random questions about myself relating to topics I was interested in. I got a call back and following it I was approached at the PC flame by all the girls cheering and blasting Beyoncé songs, alerting me that I had made the group. You can imagine how excited and overwhelmed with happiness I was. That was the beginning of my experience in my sisterhood of singers that I love so much.
Participating in something I enjoy, such as singing, was only one aspect of positivity I received from this club. I was accepted into a group that gave me many different friendships, that made my initial college experience so much better. It is difficult, as anyone knows, to make friends and to meet people in college, as there are so many different people with all various backgrounds and stories. In my experience, escaping to this club, taking a break from homework, studying, and the potential drama of college life, was essential and welcoming.
My girls in this group are my saving grace and have given me a safe space on campus to be myself, dance around like an idiot, and sing my favorite songs. One of my favorite aspects of the group is every rehearsal day; we begin our time by checking in with each other. Being surrounded by women who genuinely care about you, and want to know how your week is going, is truly special. It is stressful to arrive in a new environment, but finding people that I connect with, and who enjoy the same activities as myself, has been a blessing.