Month: May 2017

To the Undeclared Majors

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If you don’t have a major, you’ve probably heard the following from relatives, friends, professors:

“When are you going to pick a major?”
“If you don’t pick one soon, you’ll be in school even longer and have to pay more money.”
“You should think about what will give you the best career in the long run.”
“Be realistic.”

If you’re like me, you were cringing while reading that. Those kinds of remarks are so annoying. Here’s what I have to say to that:

Thank you for your advice. I’m sure you mean well. Now please get your nose out of my business.

I was an undecided major for my first year of college and I remember adults not leaving me alone about it until I finally did have a major and I understood why. They had my best interests at heart and because I’m young, they feel the need to bestow their advice upon me so I don’t make mistakes. But what they didn’t know is that I knew all of those comments because I would say them to myself pretty much every day of the week. I didn’t need another person (stranger or not) telling me.

Making a choice about a major isn’t easy and we all know that, at some point, a decision is going to have to be made. Want to hear how I made mine?

A sweatshirt.

Yes. You read that right. I was in my second semester of my freshman year and I wanted to sport some college pride. So I went into the university shop and grabbed a cheap, generic grey sweatshirt and headed back to my dorm. It wasn’t until that I realized that not only did it say UWSP, it also said College of Fine Arts and Communication.

The problem with that was that I was not a part of the College of Fine Arts and Communication or any college for that matter. So I interviewed for the BA Drama major in the Department of Theatre and Dance a month later, and for whatever reason, the professors picked me. Mind you, I had been thinking about interviewing for the program for a long time, but that accidental purchase is what pushed me to go through with it and try for a major that I love. Maybe that’s fate or maybe that makes me completely crazy. Maybe both.

So to all the undeclared major out there, here’s my advice to you:

“When are you going to pick a major?”

When you please. If you find a general field of study that you enjoy, then apply for that general major. You can always narrow your scope later.

“If you don’t pick one soon you’ll be in school even longer and have to pay more money.”

Okay, I can’t argue with that. If you wait until your fourth year of college to pick a major and you have credits all over the spectrum, you will be there longer than you intended. Again, try to find a general field of study you enjoy and take as many credits as you can in that field. Most likely, you’ll choose a major from that field of study and all those credits you’ve taken will apply to your major so you can graduate on time.

“Think about what will give you the best career in the long run.”

The best career for you. Do you love it? Good! While it’s not always necessary, it’s probably a good idea to have your major correlate with your future career.

“Be realistic.”

Yes. Be realistic about what’s right for you. Not your mom. Not your mentors. Not your grandparents. You. If you love it enough, you will have the drive to make it work and succeed. It doesn’t matter how crazy it sounds to other people. If it’s what you want, then go for it!

 

Until Next Time,

 

Dana Qualy

Hometown Treasures

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Sometimes, going home is hard. You’re leaving friends, jobs, and a place that you just got settled into. But if there’s anything good about going home? It’s that you know that place like the back of your hand and all of the little secrets that your hometown holds. The local coffee shop with the best pastries, the clothing store that always has all of its prices at 70% off, a bead shop with the friendliest owners. For me, it’s a bookstore.

I love books. I love bookstores. I love them so much that I could spend an eternity in one and it still wouldn’t be enough time. I love the atmosphere, the book smell and getting to read new stories I’ve never knew existed. My favorite bookstore is a little gem in Baraboo, WI called the Village Booksmith. If I could, I would gladly give them all of my money. It’s unfortunate that I do have bills to pay so I guess I won’t be giving them ALL of my money.

The Village Booksmith is a bookstore in Baraboo, WI that sells new, old and rare books for a great price. A popular book that typically sells for $20-$25 could sell as low as $5 at the Village Booksmith. Plus, they have a great variety of books to offer: history, science fiction, gardening, architecture, biographies, foreign language, books for kids, etc. They have any book you could possibly imagine. I even saw some old Vietnam military manuals once. And if they don’t have a specific book you’re looking for? They will help you locate in online and get it shipped right to your door. They’re book wizards I swear.

THEY EVEN HAVE A WHOLE THEATRE SECTION.

For you non- Thespians, let me explain a thing or two about finding a theatre section that sells theatre texts for reasonable prices. To find a bookstore that has a theatre section that has more than Shakespeare in it and contains more than a shelf of dusty Ibsen scripts is like finding a unicorn in your backyard. In other words, it’s nearly impossible.

But the Village Booksmith has done it! They have created a unicorn in their store for the theatre nerds. Their theatre section is a whole 8-shelf bookshelf filled with books on every genre of the theatre: scripts, theatre history, costume design, directing, makeup design, scene design, prop design, sound design, acting, stage management. And scripts. Lots and lots of scripts! Needless to say, it’s my favorite spot in the whole store. The last time I was there, I purchased about 10 theatre books that would normally run for $400-$450 for about $80. It was such a good deal I almost felt bad. Almost.

So if you’re in the Baraboo, WI area, be sure to drop by the Village Booksmith. You’re sure to find a treasure or two in there. I know that when I’m back in my hometown, the Village Booksmith will be the first place to visit (even before my parents)!

 

Until Next Time,

Dana Qualy

A Meal for Miracles

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I’ve been wanting to do a charity event that raises money for the American Cancer Society Hope Lodge in Marshfield, WI since receiving a clean bill of health back in February. Hope Lodge is a program that houses cancer patients and their caregivers for free while they are undergoing treatment. I had the opportunity to stay there a few times while I was going through my treatment and it was an amazing experience.

Yes, they provide a nice room, free dinners (donated by local restaurants or community groups), a workout center and so much more. However, it wasn’t the facilities that made it a good experience. It was the people, volunteers, staff and guests alike. They were so friendly and personable. It didn’t make the chemo treatments easier, but it made them more bearable.

Hope Lodge has great facilities and fantastic staff and volunteers. They truly care about the guests that come to stay at Hope Lodge. They are a non- profit organization, meaning that they receive all of their funding through donations. This means that if they want to continue to run, they need the support of their community. If you’d like to learn more, you can read more about Hope Lodge and its mission statement here.

This is where my desire to fundraise for them derived. The staff and volunteer team can’t do what they do without help and since I experienced their generosity first hand, the absolute least I could do was get the word out and do some fundraising myself. 

I had no idea where I was going to fundraise or when, but I knew that I was going to do it. When I attended Women Who Cook at the Forage in Eau Claire, WI, I got to talking with the owner of the facilities and she offered to let me use her place on my birthday! Then, with the help of my sister and one of my best friends, A Meal for Miracles was created.

A Meal for Miracles was a fundraising event my sister (Layne), her boyfriend (Brent) and I put on in the Eau Claire area. It consisted of a four course dinner (which was DELICIOUS) with wine pairings and an evening of conversation and laughter. Layne and Brent are fantastic chefs with years of culinary experience and education under their belts. We figured, “Hey! Why not use that to our advantage!” So we spent a few months preparing, advertising and working on this project. It was exhausting but so worth it.

And people came to the event! To put forth so much work for the sake of an organization you care about and to have your friends, family and strangers alike support them? There’s no better feeling in the world. I continue to be astounded by people and their open hearts. I am hoping that one day we will be able to do an event like A Meal for Miracles again soon.

If you are able to do so, please consider donating to Hope Lodge or sharing the Hope Lodge main page with friends and family. Hope Lodge is a great facility and deserves all the love and support.

 

 

Until Next Time,

Dana Qualy