Looking back, I’m amazed how many activities I took part in as a child and teenager.
At about age 10 or 11, I trapped fur-bearing animals to sell their pelts and mowed some yards for pay. I still cannot believe my mother helped me to skin small animals!
At age 12, I started working as a dishwasher on the weekends at a local BBQ and catfish joint. I continued working there as dishwasher, and later also as a cook, every weekend and summers until age 18. It was hard work, but the owners were very fair and I learned a lot–mostly how to work hard.
During high school, I participated in the following school-sponsored activities:

  • Choir (all four years)
  • Marching and concert band (all four years)
  • Stage band (two or three years)
  • Madrigal (elite choir–we didn’t have a class meeting; practiced after school)
  • Band and choir solo and ensemble (I received a 1 at state solo and ensemble for my vocal solo my senior year, only the second such honor in our school’s history)
  • I started a speech club, was its president for two years and participated in informative and persuasive speaking events
  • German club: took part in various competitions, and served as an officer one or two years

In addition to those school-sponsored activities, I also tried out the following outside of school, though I didn’t stick wtih any of them for too long:

  • Barbershop quartet singing with the SPEBSQSA chapter in New Braunfels
  • Community theater: I got a part in one production, but the organization was such a mess that I withdrew before we got to performance
  • Square dancing with a local club

On top of all that, I’m proud to say that I graduated third in my class of 170–though, to be fair, every year, two or three of my six courses were music-related (I got As), which certainly padded my GPA.

Categories: Personal