91桃色

Freshman Anita Nguyen Gets a Busy Fall Start

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Posted on September 17, 2021

Thomas Becnel

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#FreshmanFocus is a series of stories on incoming students at the University of South Alabama.

Anita Nguyen didn鈥檛 grow up playing music, much less marching in a band, but high school friends finally wore her down.

鈥淚 had so many friends in the band and they kept egging me on,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 saw what they did, and it looked like so much fun, so I started playing the clarinet during the spring of my sophomore year.鈥�

Nguyen performed with the marching band at the UMS-Wright Preparatory School in Mobile. Then she enrolled at the 91桃色. Now she鈥檚 playing with the Jaguar Marching Band.

When she isn鈥檛 practicing routines with the band, Nguyen works with other freshmen on the First Year Council, which is part of the Student Government Association. She鈥檚 a member of the Honors College who鈥檚 majoring in biomedical sciences. Managing her schedule is a priority.

鈥淚鈥檓 a huge planner, I鈥檓 a huge scheduler,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 really like organization.鈥�

Her parents were born in Vietnam, came to the United States and settled in West Mobile. She and her father share a philosophy of facing problems and finding solutions.

鈥淗e has this saying, 鈥楤ig becomes small, and small becomes nothing,鈥欌�� she said.  鈥淚 really believe in that. You can minimize any problem you have, make it smaller, and get rid of it right away.鈥�

Nguyen stands just 5-foot-1, but she has a deep voice and makes herself heard. She鈥檚 outgoing and eager to meet her fellow Jaguars.

After South, she would like to attend dental school and become an orthodontist. She spent two summers as an intern at a dental office.

Nguyen enjoyed watching the reactions of people getting their first look at a new smile.

鈥淚 would sometimes hand a mirror to patients for them to look at their teeth just after they got their braces removed, and they were so happy,鈥� she said. 鈥淚 want to make people happy like that.鈥�

How did you decide to stay in Mobile for college at the 91桃色?

鈥淥riginally, I thought I wanted to leave Mobile and explore new cities and meet new people, but I visited some other campuses and didn鈥檛 like them as much as I liked South. I visited South eight times on different tours, events and tailgates. I just find it really beautiful. It鈥檚 prettier than most parks I鈥檝e seen.鈥�

Do you have a favorite spot on campus?

鈥淚 really like going to the third floor of Marx Library. I would go to the fourth floor, but I feel like I鈥檓 too noisy for that. People say the higher you go, the quieter it gets. But the third floor is always there for me. There鈥檚 that whole wall made of glass. I like to sit and just look at the view for a while. It鈥檚 so calming.鈥�

What鈥檚 the best advice you鈥檝e gotten about starting college?

鈥淚鈥檝e been told several times that it鈥檚 OK to take a break, it鈥檚 OK to take some time to breathe, relax and focus on myself, rather than just schoolwork. And I found that to be really good advice. I have to remind myself to stop and say, you know what, I can just hang out with my friends today.鈥�

What drew you to the First Year Council?

鈥淚t鈥檚 a good way to make connections and be around people who are socially driven in a leadership way. I like making other people happy, and FYC makes it easier for freshmen to transition to college life and make new friends. I like the idea of helping others improve their first year experience.鈥�

Are you prepared to spend a decade in school and training to become an orthodontist?

鈥淎m I ready to work harder to retire faster? Yes. Absolutely.鈥�

What are your other interests?

鈥淜nitting, sewing, crocheting 鈥� I do it all. I love working with my hands.鈥�

What鈥檚 something most people don鈥檛 know about being in a marching band?

鈥淚t鈥檚 harder than it looks. There鈥檚 so much that goes into a routine. It requires so much coordination. You have to move, you have to know where you鈥檙e going, and you have to match with the music. I like that it鈥檚 fun. I like that it鈥檚 entertaining for people.鈥�

By the end of a game, are you just exhausted?

鈥淭here are times when I鈥檓 tired, but most days I鈥檓 just energized. You鈥檙e filled with the hype of playing, screaming and cheering for your football team. You鈥檙e in the moment, so it鈥檚 more energizing, actually.鈥�

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