The Freshman Experience: Brooke Betit

Major:

Hometown:

Middletown, Md.

Where are you from and what brought you to Marymount?

I grew up in Middletown, Md., just an hour or so away from Marymount. I’m very close with my family and am a bit of a homebody, so when I was looking for colleges, I didn’t want to be too far from home. I also wanted to go somewhere where I could study interior design in an accredited program, which isn’t the easiest thing to find in the DMV area. When I found that Marymount was only an hour from home and had a thriving Interior Architecture and Design program, I thought it would be a great fit.

You have been very involved in starting the new Marymount Pep Band. What made you want to be a part of that project?

Music has always been important to me and my family. I play the piano and various percussion instruments, and I did band all through high school. Most of my friends were from the band, and it was a great source of community for me. When my older sister went to college, she said she regretted not getting involved with music on campus, so I wanted to make sure I went somewhere where a band could be a part of my college experience. When I first came to tour Marymount, there was no band on campus and that was honestly one of the biggest drawbacks for me. But a few months later when I came to Marymount for an Admitted Students Day, I met students from the Chamber Singers and Campus Ministry who said they were looking to start a Pep Band. When I heard that, I knew I wanted to be part of bringing a Marymount Pep Band to campus and creating a new community for students to be involved in.

What has it been like to start a band from scratch?

It has been challenging, but very rewarding. The biggest challenge has been getting people interested in joining and figuring out where to place everyone. We have four people who are pianists, a few clarinet players and some saxophonists, so we’re still missing a good deal of instruments but we’re making it work. The nice thing is that everyone is new to it, so there isn’t a lot of pressure or expectations to live up to. Because we are the founding members, we’re getting a lot of say in the direction the band goes in. We get to be involved in picking the songs and deciding how we want to present ourselves. We are setting the tone for the Pep Band’s future and starting fun traditions that make being in a school band so enjoyable.

What are you most looking forward to over the next three years?

I am excited to see the band and the community around it continue to grow. Hopefully, we can eventually have enough people and instruments to have a full ensemble. I’d also love to see the Pep Band get more exposure. Right now, we play exclusively at home basketball games or smaller campus events, but I’d love to see us start traveling with our athletic teams to play at away games and University-wide events. Academically, I am looking forward to exploring more interior design courses and discovering which type of design I am most passionate about.

What is your advice for new students on how to make the most of their freshman year?

Don’t underestimate yourself. A lot of people told me not to over-commit myself during my first year, but that led to a lot of free time I didn’t know what to do with. Looking back, I wish I had taken another class or joined another club so I could be more active and involved in the community. Next year, I plan to explore more of what is available on campus. So, don’t be afraid to be busy. If something interests you, try it. You will figure out what is a priority as you go.