Ouachita Stories

My senior year of high school I sat in the audience of JPAC while I was attending the prospective student event, GROW (now called Explore Ouachita!). Having never seen a Tiger Tunes show, I didn’t know what to expect. All of a sudden, the lights went down, the curtains came up and it was show time. Throughout the show I laughed until I cried and sat there in awe. I couldn’t help but think, “Wow, Ouachita is so fun, and all of these clubs look like something I would love to be a part of! Maybe Ouachita could be the school for me!”

Fast forward a year, and I was signing up to be a part of my first-ever Tunes show. I was so excited – and so naïve. I know that sounds kind of crazy, but let me explain myself! Tunes is honestly my favorite time of the year, but it also can be one of the hardest times of the year. The memories you make, the scholarship funds raised and the feeling you get on that stage is priceless. But it can be a major time management challenge as you try to balance rehearsals, work, classes, homework and more.

This is my fourth and final year to participate in Tunes (wow, tearing up as I type that). But throughout the last few years, I have learned 4 valuable lessons on how to make the best out of this crazy season of life we call Tiger Tunes.

1. Sleep every chance you get! Yes, late night Taco Bell trips are the best and Netflix is calling your name, but you have to sleep as much as you can. It is game time, people – and come Tunes week, you are going to be WORN OUT if you haven’t been sleeping.
2. Do homework in your spare time. Take a short lunch or even take your homework to practice. When your directors are going over choreo for a song you are not in and your homework is done when you get to the room, you’ll be thankful.
3. Make the most out of every practice. I know they can be tedious and you are stressed and tired, but you will never get these days back. Enjoy them and invest in the people around you.
4. Soak up every moment. When you’re at practice or on stage, forget about everything else! Enjoy that time you have and remember that, yes – this is for you, but you’re also impacting every future Tiger and Tiger alum in the audience. Give the show your all, make the best Tunes face possible and just have fun.

I can’t believe I will be performing on the JPAC stage in my last Tunes show in just a few days! Tiger Tunes is so special. Some of my favorite memories come from this crazy time. With Tunes around the corner and it seems like you have tests in every class (it never fails), remember these are some of the best and most fun days of your life. It’s show time!

Tiffany Lee, senior mass communications and business administration major from Benton, Ark.