I love singing. I love it so much that I am involved in three singing groups on campus. One of the groups I have a privilege of being a part of is the all-girls a cappella group, AcaBellas (cute name, right?). It is by far the most fun co-curricular activity I am involved in on campus. I still remember how happy I was to find out I had been accepted in the group at the beginning of last year. After being in the group for about a year and a half, I have learned a few things about myself and about life from being in such a great group of people.
1. Sometimes, people aren't compatible with others
In an a cappella group, blend is the most important aspect of sound. If one person's voice sticks out, it will be noticeable and the group will not sound good together. This has taught me that not everyone will like you and that not everyone you meet will be easy to work with, but it's best to move past it and try to work out differences to make the interaction as easy as possible.
2. Never give up
There have been songs that we have learned that I didn't think we were going to be able to pull off. But the harder we worked at them and the more time we devoted to them, the better they sounded. This has taught me that if something seems hard at first, it may just mean that you need to work harder at it and to not give up so easily. Who knows? It may turn out to be better than you anticipated.
3. Don't be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and be vulnerable
Singing without instruments takes a lot of courage. You immediately become vulnerable in those moments. A cappella singing causes me to step outside of my comfort zone and to be confident in what I am singing. If I am not confident, I won't sound good, and the whole group's sound suffers as well. This has taught me to step outside my comfort zone in other parts of my life as well.
4. The people I sing with have become family
I have been involved in many singing groups in my life and all of them have helped me be the person I am today. AcaBellas is no exception. This group of girls has been a big part of my life since freshman year and I am so grateful for all of them. I have made great friends within this group of lovely ladies. I will cherish the times we spend twice a week rehearsing and getting to know each other. We may get on each other's nerves after a long rehearsal, but at the end of the day, we all still love each other.
I wouldn't trade the experiences I've had in AcaBellas for anything else, and I am so grateful for everything it has taught me. I love you, Bellas!
