Andrea Falk doesn”t know who she is yet. But the beauty of college, she said, is that neither does anybody else.
“My life story is that I was the music kid,” Falk said. “I was in orchestra and choir and I never did much else. I guess my story is just beginning.”
Throughout high school, Falk said music was a central part of her identity. She was good at it, and she loved it – but she wanted to explore. She said she considered taking a gap year to work, or pursue something completely different.
Andrea Falk
Her senior year, however, Falk said she realized she couldn”t picture a future without music. She started her first day of classes Monday as a vocal and cello performance major in the Lionel Hampton School of Music.
“I”ve always kind of known the program was really good, because my parents went there,” Falk said. “But the moment I really knew was when my cello instructor sent me a handwritten letter saying I got into the program.”
While she”s excited to start her education in the music program, Falk said it”s not holding her back from pursuing other things. She said she signed up for Quidditch and rugby at Palousafest, and hopes to run for ASUI.
For now, though, she”s focusing on finding her rhythm on campus.
“It”s all new, and I haven”t met anybody,” Falk said. “I feel like I keep having the same conversation over and over again, and I keep getting the same reaction – the “what are you doing? Oh, that”s really cool!” There are a couple people who are genuinely interested, but they”re all busy getting acquainted with their own stuff.”
Falk”s older brother is a current UI student, and her parents moved to Moscow from Boise earlier this month. She said she”s happy to have the support system for when things get lonely. As the fall term begins, Falk said she”s still more nervous than excited, and hopes she”ll meet new people soon.
“I want to keep an open mind,” she said. “I guess people surprise you, and you learn not to judge people by their majors or what they”re doing.”
Hannah Shirley can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @itshannah7