Reflection

What did you enjoy about this project?

I enjoyed being able to combine my love of sport and music into one project, and it was interesting to dive in to a part of Trinity's history regarding both of these areas..

What surprised you about this project?

When doing interviews, things I would have never thought to research on my own ended up being main contributors to the marching band's removal. For example, it was surprising to see how much President Calgaard impacted all aspects of Trinity's campus, culture, and organizations. Initially, I would have never thought to include it in my research.

What was the most challenging aspect of the project, and how did you manage it?

The most challenging aspect of this project was that it was a slow, drawn out process. The semester's worth of research included finding various types of sources and writing progress reports. These were all part of a process that could not be rushed.

If you could start over, what would you do differently?

If I could start over, I would begin with an interview. I didn't really have any idea where to begin the research on my topic, so I'd search general ideas to try to find something. By beginning with the interview with the band director, it may have prevented such a slow, unclear start.

What did you learn about history and/or the historical process through this project?

Throughout this historical process, I learned that history is just interpretations of different events and conversations, which are then left for us to interpret further and continue writing about. I found that the context of these times was hard to quantify because the articles and lived experiences were very case by case.

What did you learn through this project that can be applied to life outside the classroom?

Throughout this project, I learned that it is okay to allow the process to happen. Not everything needs to be done quickly or even the most efficiently at first, especially when the process of something is new.