Meet Zach Janis! He’s your average freshman from Los Angeles, CA, with a major in Instrumental Music Education, and he has a special love for music and his school! He is an active member of the Marching Utes, on top of obtaining a position in the Tau Beta Sigma Fraternity/Sorority, and has hopes of becoming an orientation leader this upcoming summer. Want to learn more about his musical involvement? Keep reading!
Marching Utes
Her Campus: What instrument do you play in the Marching Band?
Zach Janis: I play the Sousaphone
HC: How long have you been playing the Sousaphone?
ZJ: I have played the Sousaphone for five years, but this is my first year in the Marching Band.
HC: What is your favorite thing about being a part of the Marching Utes?
ZJ: The sense of family and group bonding that I get every time we rehearse. All of my friends that I have met so far are in the Marching Band, and it is a family atmosphere; it makes it easier being away from home.
HC: What is your favorite memory of being in the Marching Utes so far?
ZJ: At the BYU game this year, I had an interaction with some guys in the MUSS that left me with the moniker of “Tuba Guy”. Everyone in the band calls me that now and I love it.
TBS Fraternity/Sorority
Her Campus: Could you give the readers some background of what TBS stands for?
Zach Janis: Tau Beta Sigma: Omricon chapter is a service based fraternity that is exclusive to students enrolled in music classes at the U.
HC: What is your role as a Tau Beta Sigma?
ZJ: I am still in the inductee process, but I want to become a board chairman as soon as possible.
HC: How does Tau Beta Sigma differ from the other Greek affiliations here on campus?
ZJ: TBS is a service based fraternity/sorority. Contrary to sororities and fraternities (which most people think of when they think of Greek life), Tau Beta Sigma does not have a house; it is a completely dry fraternity, and it is co-ed.
Your Average Freshman Questions
Her Campus: What is your favorite part about college so far?
Zach Janis: The view and the people. I cannot get over how beautiful this campus and Salt Lake City is, and I have been treated with nothing but kindness by all of my friends and professors I have had so far.
HC: Why did you choose to attend the University of Utah?
ZJ: Being born in Sandy, but raised in LA, I have had family friends that live out here, so I wouldn’t be totally alone with the move. Also, I wanted to live in the snow, so SoCal colleges were not an option.
HC: What is your favorite childhood memory from back home?
ZJ: All of the football games with my high school friends. Utah is playing UCLA this year, so I’m going with the travel band and I plan to visit my friends when I’m down there.
HC: Would you rather be smart and ugly or dumb and handsome?
ZJ: Contrary to Daisy Buchanan, from Great Gatsby, I like being smart. I’m grateful for the level of understanding I have for things in the world, and am excited that I have more to learn.