In my first year of University, I was taking 15-17 credit hours as a music student. By the second half of that year, I realized that I still had too much time on my hands. So I decided to take elective classes in Dance (3 credit hours), French (5), and Gymnastics (5), boosting my total hours to 27.
When I tried registering by phone, the computer told me that 21 credit hours is the maximum allowed and advised me to visit my guidance counselor, which I did. The lady informed me that only honour students were allowed to take more than 21 hours and since I was not one, I had no chance. She referred me to the Dean of Students, who also told me the same thing. I reasoned with him that they should at least give me a chance to prove myself.
He finally said, “If you fail, we are held responsible.” I replied, “If I fail, I am responsible. I am the one who will answer my father.”
He breathed out a heavy sigh and said, “Come, come.” I came behind his desk to his computer and gave him my i.d. number, which he punched into the system. My student records popped up on the screen and he changed the “21” of my Maximum. Credit Hours to “27”.
I smiled, thanked him and told him that if my GPA was above 3.0 (out of 4.0), I would take more than 21 hours until I graduate. He agreed and that term, my GPA was over 3.0.
Just a note about that elective dance class- when I was six, my mom told me that my dance lessons had come to an abrupt end because the novice instructor claimed that I had “two left feet”. “Two left feet”… It sounded like an incurable disease to my six-year-old mind and that stigma stayed with me throughout most of my childhood: I couldn’t dance because I believed I couldn’t dance. Hence, it took courage for me to take that elective dance class 13 years later.
Part of our assignment in that class was to attend the final year Dance Majors’ concert. The best out of all the 400-level dances that night was choreographed by a student named Stephen and after the programme, I approached him to informally interview him concerning his dance history.
I was shocked when he confessed that he got into dance when he was 19- only 4 years earlier! Only 4 years of experience and his choreography was a cut above others who had been dancing since childhood! He said his secret to success was his mental focus: he determined in his heart that he could excel, despite his age and level of experience, and his mental drive, coupled with hard work, caused him to rise as one of the top graduates in the Dance Department that year.
This testimony was life-transforming for me. “I can do anything well I set my mind to do” became one of my major personal proverbs from then on. I knew that I could excel in anything I had the interest to focus my mind upon. It was all I needed to break the mental yoke of “two-left-feet-itis” and venture deeper into dance and other areas of interest.
In my second year of College, I miraculously joined the Dance Department as a non-major taking major classes- without even going through the normal audition process! After some weeks, my dynamic dance advisor and mentor encouraged me to look into creating a combined major programme to be approved by the Board of the College.
I underwent an intensive research into the course requirements for different degrees in Music, Dance, Photography, Video, Multimedia Art and Art Aesthetics and came up with a unique custom programme titled Collaborative Arts with an Emphasis on Music Composition and Dance Choreography ,and Arts Administration.
After reviewing the proposal, my dance advisor/mentor informed me that the total credit hours of the proposed degree programme were enough for an Undergraduate (4 years) and a Masters Degree (2 years) and suggested I reduce them.
It had never occurred to me that the overall credit hours were more than enough. It really was not a concern to me; I was more interested in my calculations on how I could complete my self-created degree in four years by taking 27-31 hours per term. I submitted the proposal as it was and it was approved by the College of Fine Arts during my second year of University.
Another motto that motivated me was “There is always an open door for a great idea.” As part of my programme, I was to have access to the electronic sound studio, but Professors had access to the state of the art computer and sound equipment over Graduates, who had access over Undergraduates. So, by the end of each day, there was little time for me to get on the electronic equipment. I was so hungry to experiment and upgrade my skills, that I finally started coming to the studio between 11 p.m. and 7:30 a.m.- when Professors and Grad students sleep.
My consistent commitment to keeping this overnight schedule earned me my own set of keys to the building and sound lab- a privilege only given to Staff and Graduate Assistants.
For two years, I also held the Administrative position of Fine Arts Chair of Student Events Committee (SEC), a volunteer, student-run, University organization made up of 10 Chairs in various fields to provide local and international programmes on Campus. I had an annual budget of $7,000 to work with to create Arts-related programmes, arrange art exhibits, performances, and the like, for a Student Body of over 60,000 at my university. Weekly Board Meetings were held to present proposals and budgets, brainstorm new ideas, give updates, approve programmes etc. We had our own office with a secretary, in-house graphics designer, long distance access, access to University equipment, etc. This is where I gained core foundational skills in corporate management and adminstration.
As the University’s Recording Studio Manager, also for two years, I had administrative responsibilities and managed staff, in addition to the assignment of recording student and orchestral concerts, and duplicating tapes. While tapes were being dubbed in real-time, I would read the manuals of and learn how to operate and experiment on the mixers, effects machines, and other sound equipment in the studio.
My mottos, “I can do anything well that I set my mind to do” and “There is always an open door for a great idea”, coupled with my craving for self-motivated research and personal development provoked me to excel in a multitude of areas and enjoy a rich University experience. I was learning in realtime, which gave birth to my motto of “learning by force”.
I was rated among the Graduate Students because of the positions I held and the proofs I produced. I also acquired more than 15 University keys, giving me limitless access to various buildings, offices and studios on Campus, an unheard of privilege for an undergraduate student.
After four years of University adventures, I graduated with Bachelor’s of Fine Arts (BFA) with Honours in my self-created degree programme- with an excess of 90 credit hours earned above what was required to graduate.
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