By Maria Dillman

“Slow, slow, quick, quick!”

 These are the commands I hear from my social dance teacher as my partner and I stumble to the Memphis blues playing while we learn the footwork of the Fox Trot. Our classroom is not the traditional setting one would normally imagine. Instead, I stand in a room full of mirrors, dance bars, and wooden floors.

Yes, I am business major, but I’m also taking a social dance class. I will learn the style and techniques of the Waltz, Jazz, Cha-Cha, Swing, Tango, and Country Western dances. Call me crazy, or maybe call me “jazzy”.

I took this class not only for a lifetime fitness credit, which is a health and fitness credit many majors require you to have.  But I also took it because I wanted to try something completely new and unique. I think this social dance class is a good representation of how much Baylor has shaped me in my years here as a student. Sometimes we learn lessons in a non-traditional setting or in ways we never could imagine. But we are changed for the better because of them.

The range of what I have learned from being a student at Baylor University never ceases to amaze me. Not only do I learn invaluable lessons from my professors and peers in the classroom, I also learn from the challenges and triumphs of being a college student at Baylor.

I continue to learn more about time management, organization, and responsibility. I’m learning how to be a better friend, roommate, student, and employee. I’m learning not to take life too seriously, yet to strive for excellence in the important things. I’m learning how to balance my priorities and realize when I’ve taken on too much. I’m learning to work hard, and not give up no matter how hard it is. Thank you social dance and Baylor, for inspiring me to uphold a high standard and to continue the legacy of learning that takes place here.