Now I promise that I am extremely excited for East 15 and London, but that doesn't change the fact that Baylor produces some powerful nostalgia. I could go on and on about all the different branches of my Baylor family tree:
All of these organizations (along with daily campus life) gave me wonderful memories to last a life time. I could probably write a top five hundred list, but I'll spare you (kinda). Here are my top five Baylor memories:
Fun fact you may not know: Baylor is home to the oldest homecoming celebration in the country. Our homecoming game day parade also takes top prize for being the biggest of its kind. My senior year was our 100th Homecoming Celebration (big deal alert). Sororities and fraternities teamed up to produce some crazy awesome floats, Bruiser led the whole thing on a Segway, and Student Foundation members got to ride our bikes in one huge mass in the middle of the parade, throwing candy as we went. Waking up at 3 a.m. to ride a bike across downtown Waco in the dark was totally worth it when you turned that corner and saw thousands upon thousands of alum and current students lining your way through the heart of campus. In an effort to not get too choked up (easy thing for me to do) I focused hard on my candy throwing and almost ran over a little girl dressed as a Baylor cheerleader. I gave her like a handful of kit kats, so I think we're even.
Sing is one of those things that's so difficult to explain to non-bears. To put it in perspective, the production as a whole is usually touted as the second biggest off-Broadway production in the US. Did you hear me? Yes, I just said that. Just over 10% of our student body participates in a four hour performance cut up into seven minute themed routines put on by frats, sororities, and independent clubs. Each group has their own backdrop, set pieces, and props that they have two minutes to get onstage prior and two minutes to get offstage after. Go over and you're docked points- oh that's right, did I mention it's a competition? Judges are different every night and for the past few years have included Corbin Bleu. After six performances the top eight groups advance on to Pigskin Review which is a part of our aforementioned Homecoming weekend.
I loved Sing the two years I was able to participate (theatre conflicts) but my favorite was senior year. Alpha Chi's act was "Whatever the Weather" and I got to sing a classic. Ryan Brinson took that far left picture of me and it is one of my all time faves- I'm right in the middle of belting out, "It's gonna start rainin' MENNNNN!" You can't imagine how fun it is to sing your heart out with that silly line to thousands of people each night and have them whoop and cheer you on.
It's almost impossible to pick my favorite mainstage experience at Baylor Theatre, but Drowsy edges out all the others for several reasons. It was the "University Premiere" (meaning we were the first college given the rights to perform to the show) and it's fun to say I was the first 22-year-old Mrs. Tottendale. Plus, look at my costume. In the whole first number I was singing about my "fancy dress" and man was that thing fun to wear. Drowsy was also my last big show at Baylor and my senior musical, so it will always pull at my heartstrings when I think about it.
The small picture in the middle is part of one of the best Baylor Theatre traditions. All our dressing rooms are lined with makeup counters that have drawers underneath where we list all the shows we were cast in. At Senior Wills (another tradition) we hand down our specific drawer to a deserving underclassman.
Talk about changing your whole life perspective in less than a month. I was a part of the theatre department's very first abroad experience in the summer of 2008. We spent two weeks in class prior to the trip and then immersed ourselves in Paris, London, and Stratford-upon-Avon. It's impossible for me to pick one favorite moment, but doing a sic 'em on Shakespeare's front porch (bottom left) is pretty up there. This trip was also my first time in London and I got hooked fast. I always knew that city had more in store for me. :)
When people ask me what my favorite moment of theatre that I've ever experienced is, I have this trip to thank for my answer. We studied The Taming of the Shrew pretty in-depth beforehand, because we knew we were going to see the show at the Comédie-Française. About two of us spoke French. I could say "Hello", "Pardon me", "Please", and "I'm sorry, I'm an American."
Being a modern woman, I've never really cared for Taming. It always put me off how Kate just crumbles at the end and gives up her strength to Petruchio. Obviously, I had just never seen the right production. Or maybe I should just see shows I don't understand in French, because in this case I got the meaning crystal clear. Kate's big speech at the end was used almost as a manipulative tool and by the end she had Petruchio literally baying at her feet. She didn't lose any power or self-worth. It was fantastic and one of those (overused word alert) transcendent moments of theatre. It didn't matter that the text of the play was originally in Early Modern English, translated into French, and performed for a contemporary English speaking audience. The production communicated everything it needed to even with all those hurdles. Experiences like that will make you fall in love with an art form real quick.
I was lucky enough to get to participate in one of the weekly hangout shows that Mental Floss video puts on every week to discuss my mascoting experience for Baylor. I come in around the 10:15 mark-
In the video I get to tell my absolute favorite mascot story- meeting Art Briles as Bruiser. Getting to be the symbol of your University is one of the coolest things ever. I did sic 'ems right next to REAL bears. I hugged RGIII several times- he just didn't know it was me. I helped kids get over their fear of anthropomorphized forest creatures. I got to lead all of Floyd Casey stadium in a sic 'em after a football victory. That's the kind of stuff you'll never forget.
Well, there you have it. A not very short at all top five list. If you made it the whole way through- snaps for you (sorority girl forever at heart). I'll always love BU with all my heart, but reminiscing now is a good thing. It's urging me forward, not weighing me down in the past. A Baylor trip down memory lane just makes me more excited for when I'll have a new memory lane to walk down... this time in London.
To flinging my green and gold afar,
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