My name is Emma Grace; I am a sophomore biophysics major here at Geneseo, from Warwick Valley, New York. While Grace is just my middle name, many of my friends and family members call me by both my first two names. If I end up sticking with the biophysics major, or at least somewhere in the field of physics, I hope to work at NASA in the future. My Great Aunt used to work for NASA in the 60s, and was the first-ever female president of her branch who built batteries for nuclear launchers! Here are some quick things about myself while we’re on the topic. I sing (mostly classical music), and I’m an ex-ballerina. I can paint, but exclusively birds, only because I grew up with my mom being absolutely obsessed with them. I can probably name any bird based on its call, and I can tell you how to attract certain birds by the feed you put out (my favorite party trick). I’d say I’m a pretty funny person once you get to know me; I’ve definitely perfected the art of dry humor. This is both a blessing and a curse, as some people can’t tell when I’m joking, but either way, I never clarify.
Although these are not my first few weeks at Geneseo, I vividly remember my initial transition into living here. I did fairly well living on my own. The difference in environment and people is exactly what I needed, coming from such a small town. College’s sense of assisted independence was an excellent change for me. Not relying on my mom to do small tasks for me, such as making appointments or phone calls, helped me overcome some of my social anxiety. The course load was a hard slap in the face. That, plus all of the non-academic challenges I faced last semester, made it almost impossible to settle in and find a good routine. However, now that I know what to expect, this semester is going much smoother. The best thing college did for me was make me quit caring so much about being a perfectionist. Last year, I was very introverted and would shut down if I thought I couldn’t do something right. I would never ask my professors for assistance to seem “independent,” which only worsened things. Now, I try my best, and if it doesn’t work out, it doesn’t work out. The go-with-the-flow mindset is super healthy and a lot less stressful. I certainly recommend it.
This semester I’m taking a wide variety of classes, none of which relate to one another. I’m taking Theater- A Therapy for Veterans, of course, along with physics, philosophy (specifically logic), and Chamber Singers. So far, these are all going great! The most difficult of them is certainly physics, but I’ve yet to meet a Geneseo Physics professor unwilling to work with you and help you succeed. This major is built to weed out the least dedicated in the first year, so the fact that I’m still here has made it much easier for me. Logic works well with my brain because it’s basically math but with sentences. Chamber Singers is my place to unwind, so of course, I love it!
Theater for Veterans is also going quite well for me. My professor is one of the most approachable and kind people I’ve ever met, which makes this class all the more enjoyable. Although I initially registered for this course because it was the only INTD 105 that fit my schedule, I am extremely excited to learn more about the benefits of theater for PTSD veterans, coming from a theater nerd with a family full of veterans. Maybe I’ll even be able to take some of what I learn in this course and relay it to my family members! Hopefully, I’ll come out of this class with stronger writing skills, as physics is lacking in essays. You can always use some good old MLA format practice. So far, our readings just included writing tips, so nothing has really spoken to me yet. The book Theater of War is currently on backorder for me, so I’ve yet to read that. However, with the material we will cover in this class, there’ll undeniably be a connection I can make with myself.