Interview with Dean of the Commons, Vanessa Beasley, discussing Vanderbilt, Nashville life, and the first year experience.
Archives for August 2017
Humans of the Commons: Sael Soni
“I started learning different languages because I heard people talking, but I couldn’t understand them, and I wanted to be able to. Apart from Spanish, I speak French, Italian, modern Greek, Hindi, and Portugese. I do travel quite a bit, but not to these countries. I just talked to people online. There are a lot of language-learning platforms where you can be like, ‘I want to learn this language. Somebody come teach me.’ Sometimes I watch TV or read in a new language. I think each language has a different personality. For example, German is very analytical, very to-the-point, very crisp. Italian is very melodic just because all the words end with vowels, which is why you always hear Italian people, when they’re speaking English, end their sentences with a’s and e’s. And, they talk-uh like-a this-uh. I think you can best connect with people when you’re talking with them in their native language. I’m taking Japanese [at Vanderbilt]. I want to [travel abroad]; I don’t know where though. That’d be chill.”
Humans of the Commons: Josiah Pehrson
“I grew up in Papua New Guinea, which is a little island in the south Pacific. Everyone there walks around wearing Bob Marley t-shirts. It’s definitely very different from here: The roads are very bad. I love how free everyone is there in Papua New Guinea. I can literally go up to people in the middle of the street that I’ve never met before and just talk to them and hang out, and within ten minutes, we call each other, ‘brother,’ which is a really cool cultural dynamic. I love that it’s a tropical island, and yet I also get to live in the mountains. I can just walk outside my house and see these massive mountains and go hiking in them whenever I want. I really miss my friends and the community that I built over there. I’m excited to be here and do the same, but there’s definitely a lot of friends I left behind.”
Top 5 Things To Do In Nashville During Your First Month On Campus
You’ve survived the madness of move in, orientation, and your first few days on campus as a whole. If you’re like me, this whole process of moving off to college has been a little bit overwhelming. Luckily for us though, Nashville has some amazing places to chill out and just let loose. Here are the top 5 ways to relax, get to know your new home, and have a good time. So grab a few Vandy first years, and check out what Nashville has to offer.
5. First Saturdays
You won’t need to be an art connoisseur to appreciate number five on our list. Every first Saturday of the month, a handful of art galleries open their doors for FREE. With over 20 galleries participating in First Saturdays, you are bound to find just about any style and medium of art to please your taste. Some of the galleries offer free drinks to cool you off after a hot day of walking around campus, and if you’re lucky you may be able to meet the artists. First Saturday takes place from 6pm to 9pm at 5th Avenue of the Arts, 5th Avenue South, and The Historic Arcade.
4. Lonnie’s Western Room
Lonnie’s is a Nashville staple that college students love. Voted the #1 Karaoke Bar in Nashville and the #10 College Bar in America, the location is a real crowd pleaser. So even if you’re young, dumb, and broke, come out and show off your best dance moves and singing.
Address: 308 CHURCH STREET, Nashville, TN 37201 (Roughly a $10 round trip with Uber)
Hours: 6pm-3am, daily
3. Fido’s
You can’t officially say that you’re living in Nashville until you hit up Fido’s for some coffee and some high end, yet affordable, grub. Fido’s menu creates a harmony between organic, exotic, and junk foods, and if you’re not ready to experience a Fido’s burger or giant whole grain pancake, then you can always rely on the tried and true latte. Just a short half-mile walk away from the Commons, you’ll find that Fido’s is perfectly located, and you might even get a rare sighting of Belmont Students hanging around, too.
Address: 1812 21st Ave. S., Nashville, TN 37212
Hours: 7am-11pm, daily
2. Broadway
Broadway, also known as Honky Tonk Highway, is a rockin’ street in downtown Nashville. With countless restaurants, junk food stops, and nightlife area, you’re bound to make many memories here over your next four years. So, don’t be intimidated by being a first year student and head on down to music row within your first month to get a true feel for the city.
Address: Corner of Broadway and 5th Ave S. (Roughly a $10 round trip with Uber)
1. Live On The Green
Live On The Green is a homegrown FREE concert series that Lightning 100 host. It features local artists, as well as some pretty well known names. Loads of Nashville natives attend the concert, and if you’re lucky you’ll get to meet some pretty famous artist, like Paramore. There are just two weeks left in the series, but in my opinion the last weeks are boasting the best artists. The next show is Wednesday, August 24th. It begins at 6:15pm at Public Square Park, and will go until 11pm. I would HIGHLY suggest going to this one, because you’ll be able to catch some of my favorite artists like Portugal. The Man and Spoon. If you can’t make it to this one night event, don’t fret because you can catch a whole 3 days of fun over Memorial Day Weekend. Some of the major artists over that weekend include Sheryl Crow, Future Islands, The Lone Bellow, and Drew Holcomb. You can check the whole schedule below, address, and other details below.
Address: 1 Public Square, Nashville, TN 37201 (Roughly a $12 round trip with Uber)