Christie J. Cajina

Bugler's Tab

Hello all!

Tonight I received my Bugler's Tab at a band dinner. I am now an official Norwich University Bugler.
I have been training with the Bugle Squad all year and am proud of what I have accomplished.
For those of you who do not know Bugle Squad if a group of buglers who sound call on campus. We sound a call to put up the flag, put down the flag, for formation, to tell people to go to chow, to announce church services, and of course taps. There are other calls as well and there is always someone who goes out of their way to play the calls for the corps. To my knowledge Norwich University's Bugle Squad is the only live collegiate bugle squad in America. The other military colleges have recordings play for everything.

Bugle Squad prides itself on placing the call first before anything else. Everything is about the call and not for who happens to be watching and/ or hearing. While the future is not certain if I will continue to be on the squad for personal reasons, I am proud to have been a part of it.
Bugle Squad will forever hold and bear the weight of tremendous honor. I have only the up-most respect for it and my heart swells with pride to know that my university has live buglers to pay respect to our flag and our country. 


 Congrats to my bugle brothers Cadet Veillette and Cadet Conway for earning the titles of Regimental and Deputy Bugler respectively.  

Have a great week everyone.

- c/ PVT Cajina 

TM at Norwich

Hello everyone!

One thing  have yet to really write about is my experience with Transendental Meditation here at Norwich. This year I was apart of the control group as part of the two year study.  12-4-3 was the meditation platoon and 12-6-3 was the control group. To give you a basic idea, 4-3 was taught the meditation technique and 6-3 was not. The two were observed and tested in different ways during Rookdom. 

After Rookdom was over and we were recognized, the study was over and 6-3 was also taught the meditation technique. I have to say, I am so grateful that I have learned it because it has really changed my life for the better. When I meditate regularly I am more calm, peaceful, I can retained lecture material better, I can read for three hours straight and actually know what it was that I read.  The study here was funded and supported by the David Lynch Foundation.

Here is a very good video to explain what exactly TM is.
  

Here is a video on how the study has affected Norwich University. This was filmed during the first year of the study and follows 11-4-3.
 

On Saturday I was apart of the biggest group meditation this semester having 60 people meditation in a lecture hall. President Schneider was also there to meditate with the students. As he said that evening, he would not make us do anything he would not himself try.

 
I doubt that at any other university, students have the chance to interact so closely with their school's president.

Have a great and productive week everyone.

- c/ PVT Cajina 

Echo Taps

Hello everyone.

In honor of the victims of the Boston Marathon bombings, Norwich University held Echo Taps on April 17th, 2013.

Though you cannot see it in the video, the entire Corps of Cadets forms up on the UP in complete silence. Civilians line up at the edges or at Jackman Hall. All lights from barrack rooms  are extinguished. The hallway lights are on out of a safety policy I believe. Not a word is said. The buglers play Taps and the bagpipes then follow with Amazing Grace. It is one of the most powerful moments experienced on campus.

 
Have a great week everyone.

- c/ PVT Cajina

Essayons. 

Milestone

Hello everyone.

 April 11th, 2013.

It was the day that my training as a Band Prospect finally ended.
I recieved my lyre and was welcomed by Zoobies past and present.

Band training was by far the hardest thing I have ever done in my life.

It tested me physically, mental, and spiritually.

Did I ever want to quit? More times than you can imagine. I am grateful to my 17 prospect brothers who gave the strength and encouragment to make it through.

Would I ever go through it again? No, once is enough.

To all the incoming Rooks out there, join a special unit. 

Get involved. You'll find that you form a tighter bond with those in your special unit that with the already tight one you have in your Rook platoons.  Whether it be Band, Drill, Cavarly, MCW, Rangers, Semper Fi, Golden Anchor, Spec OPS, NAB or others get involved. You will never regret it. You'll be proud of yourself that you made it through and others will recognize your sacrfice and struggle. It is going to be hard. REALLY HARD, but nothing worth having ever comes easy.  

If anyone considering joining a special unit would like to contact me go ahead at ccajina@stu.norwich.edu, but don't expect me to tell what training is like because everyone has to learn on their own. It is part of a process. You'll be proud of what you've accomplished when you're done. I know I am.

Here is a picture of me and my 17 brothers when we recieved our band cords.
We hadn't finished training yet, but it is a nice photograph.



Have a great week everyone.

- c/ PVT Cajina

Semper Zoo 

A Satirical Answer to a Serious Question

Hello all!

A few weeks back the bloggers were asked to write a blog in response to a few questions that future Rooks may have.

I am completely open to answering any questions future Rooks or their parents might have if they send me an e-mail to brassplayer412@aim.com
I use that e-mail to seperate from my scholastic e-mail in my student account.

But for the masses, I wrote a satiracal piece/ essay that I thought might give a "real" answer to how Rook life is. Enjoy!

 

How to Write a Fantastic Paper as a Norwich Rook

            Towards the end of each academic semester, there is always a pressure to turn in papers that can range from five to twenty pages. As Norwich University Rooks, it can often be very stressful to deal with training cadre and the stress that academics can put one through. Well fear no more for there are a few simple steps, tips, and tricks that can get you on your way to a successful paper that will make your professors shed tears of joy or leave them gawking as they take their almighty pens and mark an “A+” on your paper.

            The first step you might want to follow is to first read the assignment that your professor has given. Scientists have proven that if you know what the assignment is, you are more likely to get a higher grade on it when you turn it in. By this time you need to pause for a bit and think about how to best bring this paper to life and conquer it. The next step is to turn on your computer, sit down, get out your notes, and prepare yourself to begin typing. At this point, your Rook buddy just called “Hall at Ease” for your company commander and your staff sergeant reports he saw your other Rook buddy going into the chow hall in a B’s shirt and PT running pants. You endure the screaming and blousing that is sure to occur for the next hour. After you have escaped back into your hole, you sit down and breathe. Breathe. Go to your happy place. No cadre. No yelling. No stupid Rook buddy mistakes. Aaaaahhh. Feel better now? Great. Let’s get back to that paper recruit.

            The next step to take is to set your spacing to “2.0” and write out your heading and title. Make sure to underline your title to make it look important. It is your gift to the world after all. Wow, that sure was a lot of progress. As a Rook, you need to reward yourself for every little bit of the day that you can make it through. It is best to take out some colored pencils, a sharpener, and print out a coloring page to relax your mind. I hear Disney is always highly recommended. Ah, well hello Mickey Mouse. It is time to pick up the red colored pencil and begin coloring your stylish pants. Isn’t this relaxing? Yes, just lose your mind in the monotony. Nothing harmful can possibly hap- BAM! Your platoon sergeant just found you sleeping at your desk, drooling all over Mickey Mouse, and with a red colored pencil in your hand. Red handed. After you readjust yourself and wipe away any spit that may have flown from your platoon sergeant’s mouth onto your face, you realize that you only have one hour to your deadline. Do not panic.

            This next step is sure to leave your professor speechless at your paper. As a Rook, you are put under a tremendous amount of stress. Too much stress is unhealthy and it leaves some people psychologically unable to perform. To demonstrate this inevitable event occurring in your life, begin writing every single word you know until you get that paper finished. America. Computer. Dog. Cadre. Monday Crayons. Bombs. Whistles. Book. Christmas. Soup. Go until you meet that twenty page paper requirement. Power Rangers. Feet. Sign. Santa. Meow. Lamp. Pokémon. Keyboard. Elbow. Norwich. Rectangle. Moooo! Forty-four.  You have now made it to the end of your paper. Congratulations. Your professor is now required to hold off on your final grades and call the appropriate authorities to come and help you. You’ll find you have plenty of time to write the essay in the comfortable confinements of the Vermont State Sanatorium. 

I hope it made you smile.

Have a great and productive week.

-PVT Cajina 

Cadet Life/ Focus

So far cadet life has been pretty great. Things that students at civilian schools take for granted every day: sleep as desired, listen to music as desired, phone usage as desired, and even games. I cannot express to anyone enough how much I missed my occasional hours spent playing games of solitaire.

The biggest privilege for me has been and probably will always be sleep. I turn into a completely different person when I do not have enough sleep. At first, I am, ironically, pretty lively. I am giddy and willing to do crazy things. After awhile though, I get irritable, depressed, and angry. After so much lack of sleep though I just become listless and often times resemble a pile of goo. One could argue that I have not been myself during the entirety of Rookdom. I really am not a crazy, abrasive person. Instead at home I’m primarily known, or at least want to be known, for being a Christian. And well, I wish to be a really good one at that. I don’t wish to be a different person on the hill than I am at home, but unfortunately for me that was the case. That for me was the source of much mental dissonance. Who I wish to be at home is who I wish to be everywhere. What you see is what you get, no matter where or who you are.

Last summer, I was so focused on losing weight at all costs and going at it full force. Sadly I find myself with not much progress made since I entered Norwich. Sure I can PT better, but I honestly thought I’d be farther along than where I am now. The sheer stress of Rookdom and academics honestly got to me in that way. Now for some, Rookdom sheds the pounds off them like a plate of butter under the Tuscan sun, but for me that was simply not the case. Now that I am coming back from Spring Break, I can have a chance to start anew and really screw my head on tightly to my shoulders. I want this new cadet life to resemble to home life as closely as possible.

There was a Norwich commercial awhile back that I will link Here when I get the internet power. It talks about focus and I took the liberty to take some notes.

Focus

FO:cus

The ability to concentrate without distraction.
To stay the course.
To relentlessly pursue a goal
To put into perspective
A condition in which something can be clearly apprehended or perceived
To concentrate energy or attention

I will try as this last half of the semester presents itself to be the epitome of focus.
It had been told to me that as a Cadet so much more is expected of you and that responsibilities only increase. As long as I stay focus, I can stay the course and overcome any obstacles in my way and achieve success.

Everyone have a great and productive week.

- C/PVT Cajina

Recognition

So it finally happened.
At 2247 on March 4^th, 2013, my Cadet Colonel, C/COL Dustin Shimpkus, recognized my rook class as full members of the Norwich University Corps of Cadets.

Needless to say, I’m happy and relieved. Rookdom has not been easy. Though alumni may argue ours did not have as many hard obstacles like theirs possessed, which is true, it was still a challenge. A lot of people past and present have said and will continue to say that Rookdom is a mental mind game. It is true. The lack of sleep, the constant being on guard making sure you are doing everything right, balancing academics, overseeing your financials for college, figuring out plans for your life, making sure not to disrespect any upperclassmen by whatever twitch you make, and other stress of Rookdom. It adds up and it’s enough to make someone crack. I think that best skill I have acquired at Norwich is the tolerance of mental agony which when it comes down to it, is one of the best skills to have in life. It makes me think of a quote from the movie Rocky Balboa. “You, me or nobody ain't never gonna hit as hard as life..it ain't about how hard you can hit..it is about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward.”

So yes I’ll admit it. I shed a few tears upon recognition. Rookdom has surely tested every ounce of mental strength I had. It tested my patience, my personality, and even my religion. And while recognition isn’t some sort of waving of a magical wand that takes away all pain, it is the end of the long and hard road that is less traveled. Robert Frost was right. It has made all the difference.

As for the actual ceremony that took place, I choose not to share what happens at the ceremony with those who have not gone through it themselves. Sorry future Rooks. You are going to have to make it through to the end to find out.

Have a great week everyone.

- Cadet Private (PVT) Cajina

The Last Days of Rookdom

While I know I have not written in a long time and that these next three posts are late, I currently find myself traveling alone on a train with poor wi-fi for the next 12 hours.

The last days of Rookdom were close to utter agony at times and then, at times, completely fine and normal. Upperclassmen taunted us with promise of Recognition being around the corner. Rooks were always hearing “the set date” from “reliable” sources. I even heard of one rook’s mother who has friends on the Board of Trustees text him to be a certain night. It of course was not that night. Rooks were getting restless, but with the end in sight they found strength to press on.

Some platoons found themselves making mistakes out of some members not being able to go the distance or those who wanted to slide until it was done. It might sound mentally deranged, but getting into the yelling in the last few days was great. It brought me back to Rook Week and the first few months of Rookdom. The first few months I really cherished because my platoon hadn’t lost so many (due to financials) and our main objective was just to survive together and to watch out for each other. As time went on, that “survive together” edge was slightly lost. Understandably, each individual was trained well enough to take care of themselves and could do so. Still, that “closeness” so to speak was missed. Granted, this is only my experience and I’m sure others experienced differently.

Future Rooks be weary. There are always cases were as “the end” is approaching whether it may be Thanksgiving Break, Winter Break, Recognition, or Spring Break, roommates always tend to get at each other. Being cooped up in a room, especially during Rookdom can drive people crazy and tends to make young adults act out. Give each other space and try to be understanding. People are just stressed out and want to “get out.” They want to have their own space with their own rules and get a break from the corps. It understandable and it’s human.

Have a great week.

- RCT Cajina

The Inaugural Parade

Hello everyone!

So I just got back from one of the most memorable trips of my life thus far.
On January 21st, 2013 the Norwich University Regimental Band marched in the 57th Inaugural Parade. I was honored and humbled to be a part of it. 

As one can imagine, the day entailed a lot of hurry up and wait. We had to go through several checks and screenings before we could be staged. We arrived at the Pentagon at 1030 and did not step off until about 1700 or maybe 1730 (it was too cold to check my watch). Though all of the waiting and screening was a pain, it was all very worth it. The band was very honored to represent the university and the state of Vermont on the national level. We prepared so hard for this and most of us will likely never get this opportunity ever again. 

So about 1730 we finally step off and begin the parade route. Immense pride filled my heart as I heard the announcer reading the description of Norwich University and of the band over the playing of the drumline.  The history behind this school and this band gives me the motivation to strive to become a Norwich Cadet and to give everything I have to become a part of Band Company. We start to play the tunes that we have practiced time and time again and all nerves disappear as the band settles into the rhythm just like if it was any other parade.

After what seemed like just a few minutes and yards, but in actuality about a mile and a half, I could see the reviewing stand in the distance. The roll off is given and before I know it we are playing "National Emblem" for the President. As we are marching by, I'll admit I took a glance at President Obama. Who could resist? It was surreal. Here was this man that I have followed on the news and have seen countless times in photos and videos only but a few feet away. The most powerful man in the world stood only a few feet away. As we marched past the leader of our country, I felt immense pride. The band that I take part in is so skilled that we have the opportunity to play for the President. It was a great experience and one that I will not forget anytime soon.

Here are some photos and videos of the trip:

 Video of the band marching past the reviewing stand.

 This is my Band Prospect Training Platoon expect for two females on the end who are not prospects. Also in the picture are our training cadre. We are standing in front of the U.S. Marine Corps Memorial.

These are some of my prospect brothers in front of the memorial.

Hope everyone has a great and productive week.

- RCT Cajina 

Preparations, Preparations

Hello there everyone!

As some may know, the Norwich University Regimental Band was accepted to march in the 2013 Inaugural Parade and though it has already passed, I thought I would tell you about the preparations we underwent to go through this marvelous event.

Everyone eligible to go received the news over winter break and once we arrived on the Hill we only had two playing rehearsals and two marching rehearsals. I don't believe we needed anymore. Sometimes are you have to do is let a machine warm-up and it will run smoothly for miles and miles. TV and radio crews came to rehearsal on Wednesday the 16th and as a result we played each song five or six times. It was great practice and it gave everyone the feeling of being ready to go at a moment's notice. For me, all I could think about were the pieces we were to play and for days the music played over and over in my head. 

Here are two videos on the band's preparation:

 

You can catch a glimpse of me playing the sousaphone. Gosh I love that thing!

Hope everyone has a great week.

-RCT Cajina