By: Brett Briggeman
During homecoming weekend here at HSU, many different activities took place. These ranged from tailgates to multiple sporting events throughout the day. However, one of the most successful and entertaining events that took place was SING!. For those who don't know, SING! is a massive event surrounding our Greek Social Clubs. These clubs and a group of Freshmen compete against each other in a musical-style short play. While there is an overall winner, there are also awards for aspects such as best vocals and choreography. There are also minor acts, known as interacts, that take place between the main groups. Even though SING! is competitive, it is rewarding for everyone involved.
Earlier this year, I was allowed to join Freshmen Sing. Zorian Burley, a sophomore exercise science major from Red Oak, and Abbey Pardue, a sophomore Christian studies and business double major from Lubbock, were our group leaders and did a phenomenal job. Despite being behind the scenes, Burley was the true hero of our show. He wrote and choreographed the show, putting his all into it and us. Our group had eight freshmen, of which I was the only guy. We met three days a week towards the start, but it became almost daily as SING! got closer. Our group clicked almost instantly, allowing us to enjoy practicing with one another and letting us truly loosen up while performing. From the beginning, we recognized that our vocals were top-notch, allowing us to do harmonies with certain songs. It also helped that our vocal ranges meshed together nicely. Noone's voice sounded out of place. Our entire group was committed to doing our best, whether vocally or executing choreography. When the performance came, we gave our all, believing our show was entertaining and good enough to get freshmen their first SING! victory in history. Even though we lost the overall competition, we left feeling proud of what we presented and that we won best vocals.
I also performed with Cowboy Country, one of the clubs here at HSU. This club focuses on country dancing in both performative and social settings. This performance took place almost immediately after the Freshmen SING! group. Our performance served as an introduction for our fellow students to the club. Even though the dances may look complicated at first, they are much simpler and easier to learn.
I encourage anyone interested in SING! to give it a shot. You will not regret it. Even if you are not part of the Greek social groups or are a freshman, I highly suggest joining clubs such as Cowboy Country to get plugged into the community. You might even get the chance to participate in SING! next year.