Lizandra Gomez-Ramirez

AJ Danny Emilie Jacob Kesha Kiefer Morgan Home

[fouryearswithlizandra]

Four Years Project blogger Lizandra Gomez-Ramirez talks about adding anthropology as a major and how that fits in with her law school dreams.

[fouryearswithlizandra]

Sigma Alpha Iota places first in the women's division of Augustana's homecoming competition, SING. 

[fouryearswithlizandra]

Lizandra talks about differences of starting sophomore year versus her first year at Augustana. She also discusses life as a commuter student, symphonic band and her major.

[fouryearswithlizandra]

Week 4.....Wait, What?!

Hey everyone, fall term is flying by! Sophomore year is treating me well. I am always busy with my classes, band, work (in the Reading/Writing Center!), and my fraternity. And yes, I mean frat...Sigma Alpha Iota is a fraternity! Anyways, there is even a commuter club being formed and so there will be more to hear about that in the future! Happy week 4! 

[fouryearswithlizandra]

Summer is just about over and it's about time! Ha ha I'm actually a little sad because I had a lot of fun this summer but now I'm ready to hit the books! See ya soon Augie!

[fouryearswithlizandra]

SUMMER BREAK 2014

Hi! I am officially on summer break! Finals week wrapped up on Thursday and  then my whole weekend was dedicated to band.  I got to play at graduation with the symphonic band and it has finally hit me that I am no longer a first year.  Hello, sophomore-ity!

My freshman year was filled with more ups than downs. Even though I live at home with my parents and commute to Augie, I've still gotten plenty of the college experience. I was able to manage my time in between band, homework, work, family, and friends. I went to Japan and had an awesome experience with the Augustana Symphonic Band. I made new friends and kept the old ones.  I've gotten to know my professors and my advisors for my majors and I am glad that they will guide me through the rest of my years here at Augie.  Overall, I have grown from a scared little freshman to a confident and curious sophomore.  I cannot wait to see what my next few years at Augie hold in store for me!

[fouryearswithlizandra]

Lizandra talks about getting an on-campus job as a peer tutor and how it will help her prepare for law school.

[fouryearswithlizandra]

Long Time No Blog

Hello there! These past few weeks have been crazy and my upperclassmen friends always tell me that it will only get busier, which I find hard to believe!

One of the most exciting things so far is that I am a Member in Training (M.I.T.) for Sigma Alpha Iota.  It's a music and social service fraternity and I am so happy that I am able to be a part of it.  

This is a picture with my Bigs, Anna Moorehead and Emily Haskins (from left to right)

[fouryearswithlizandra]

For Future Reference

Happy Spring! It will be such nice change to have warm weather after this wacky winter.  Anyways, its almost the end of week 2, and I have been crazy busy!  Jet lag is no joke. I miss Japan, but I feel like it affected my decision making when I was registering for spring term.  The Japan daze I was in allowed me to think I could handle 5 classes (13 credits) this term.  Actually, my train of thought went a little like this, "I can take up to 33 credits a year, I have room for one more class, yay!".  

In reality, I cannot handle 5 classes along with my band and work schedule.  Plus, Law School is a serious option for my future and I need to keep my G.P.A. high.  And so I had to make a really hard decision and drop my Christian Ethics class, which seemed really interesting.  The professor was very understanding and I hope to take that course in the future.  College is much different than high school and requires serious effort for good grades.  The moral of the story is to look at the big picture of your schedule, not just one aspect of it.  Just because you can take 33 credits a year does not mean you should try to cram them in all at once.  

[fouryearswithlizandra]

Sayonara, Japan

During my spring break, I went on tour with the Augustana Symphonic Band in Japan.  I've been procrastinating this post because I don't know how I can begin to describe my experience.  Warning: I am going to be really cliche in attempting to describe the awesomeness of this trip! 

First, I had to make it into the symphonic band and I did as the E flat clarinet player! Thus started my obsession with talking about Japan.  I would bring it up into every conversation because I was so excited.  It was my first time outside of the country and it was phenomenal. Now that I've had a few days to reflect upon it, it was sort of like reading a book vs. being in the book. Before Japan, I was really excited but I had no idea of what to expect and I really didn't try to imagine it.  I wanted my mind to experience Japan with a blank slate.  Being in Japan was like being in the book, it was my own adventure with all my band mates!

Japan was an awesome opportunity which combined two of my favorite things: exploring and band.  I got a taste of the full college experience because I had a roommate in the hotel and I got to know my band mates better.  As a freshman, that is very important! Bonding aside, playing for and with the Japanese ensembles was enriching.  Their performances were amazing and it is obvious that they take pride and pleasure in performing to their highest abilities.  On the other hand, I was incredibly nervous to play for them, but I quickly got over that because they were an appreciative audience.  

Overall, I still can't believe that I WENT TO JAPAN.  Sorry, my caps lock key must have frozen or something...but it was such a fantastic experience.  I am proud to be an Augustana College student, a part of the Augustana College Symphonic Band, and I can't wait to see how I continue to grow in these next three years.  Japan seems surreal and I hope to return someday in the future.  For me, its back to the real world and I am ready to tackle spring term.  

[fouryearswithlizandra]

For the symphonic band's final concert as part of the Japan tour, the group was joined by Kunitachi College of Music in Tokyo. Lizandra poses with the clarinet sections of the two bands. More photos.

[fouryearswithlizandra]

Lizandra sightseeing in Kyoto during the symphonic band's trip to Japan during break. More photos.

[fouryearswithlizandra]

First Japan tour concert — Kinki University in Osaka

// <![CDATA[ (function(d, s, id) { var js, fjs = d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0]; if (d.getElementById(id)) return; js = d.createElement(s); js.id = id; js.src = "//connect.facebook.net/en_US/all.js#xfbml=1"; fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js, fjs); }(document, 'script', 'facebook-jssdk')); // ]]>

Post by Augustana Symphonic Band.

[fouryearswithlizandra]

Winter Term...Check it off the list!

Why hello, what a beautiful and stormy day! I appreciate this weather more than this icky winter weather.  In other news, I am 2/3 done with my freshman year! Time flies when you're super busy!  And I am so ready for break, most of which I will be spending in Japan.  

I am incredibly excited for the Augustana Symphonic Band tour in Japan.  We've had rehearsals at 7:30 am everyday this week and I will admit that it was really hard to wake up that early!  I don't know how I did it all through high school but I like the college schedule much better.  Anyways, I have been pretty busy this week with finals, work, and band rehearsals, that I haven't had any time to pack.  What can I say, procrastination is a way of life, but since I have to be at O'Hare at 4 am tomorrow, I'd better start now.  Sayonara!

[fouryearswithlizandra]

Konichiwa! Hello!

Well there's only 15 days until the symphonic band leaves for Japan and my countdown has officially began! We just got the itinerary today and I am starting to get really excited and nervous!  I've been looking forward to this all year and I know that it will definitely be the highlight of my freshman year. 

In other news, I have my spring term classes, and I am taking 5 classes: 

Intro to Sociology (a possible Major)

Christian Ethics (Dr Hartman goes to my church so I am super excited for this class) 

The Art of Listening (I need to get all my core classes out of the way, but hey, I love music and so this class will be interesting)

Lsfy-Latino Music and Migration (I got into the Harry Potter one but I gave up my spot because I am interested in finding out the history behind the music, plus we get to look at different styles of Latino music so I can broaden my Itunes library!)

Eng 407- I need to take this class because it is required for the training to become a tutor in the reading/writing center.....which reminds me, I got chosen to be a tutor!  

So my spring schedule is looking pretty busy but I wouldn't have it another way, and so now I'm off to do homework.  The countdown for Japan still remains in T minus 15 days! Sayonara (good bye)

[fouryearswithlizandra]

Symposium Day

Whoo! It's week 7 and I am counting down until spring break because I will be in Japan touring with the symphonic band!  I had a busy weekend, I worked 10 hrs Saturday and Sunday but I don't have classes until Wednesday so I did not have the stress of homework on top of my work schedule. 

Enough about that, today was an exciting day because it was symposium day! Sadly, I was only able to go to one presentation but I picked a good one! I went to the Social Justice career panel in which they had lawyers and directors of non-for profit organizations.  It was very informative and one thing that I took from it is that it helps to have a business background when working for non-for profit organizations.  

I also had a short band performance for the Honor band that Augie was hosting and it went smoothly! I love band and performing.  I liked having symposium day instead of a full day of classes.  And now, I will continue working, homework-ing, practicing my music for Japan, and figuring out my spring term schedule.  College, its super busy but I wouldn't want it any other way! 

[fouryearswithlizandra]

Highlights of My Winter Break

Let me begin with an ode to 2013, it was a fantastic year for me and I can only hope to make 2014 even better!

1. Christmas- Everyone loves Christmas! While most people look forward to the presents, the real reason I anticipate Christmas is my mother's tamales.  Its our Christmas tradition to make them Christmas Eve day and this year, I formed most of the tamales myself! Forming the tamales=spooning the dough into the corn husks.  Next year my mother will teach me how to make the dough and so I have taken the liberty and written it down here so that I have witnesses and can remind my mother of her oath =P

2. Friends- I spent a lot of time catching up with my friends from high school.  From movie marathons, sledding, dining at our favorite restaurants ( Village inn and Buffalo Wild Wings), and visiting our high school teachers, it was fun to get together again, just like old times!

3. SLEEP- it was such a privilege to sleep in! Even though my little brothers (the 5 yr old triplets) would try to wake me up early, but after explaining to them, while still half asleep, that I wasn't in school so I didn't need to wake up, they left me alone and terrorized my  two other sisters.  In situations like this, it feels good to be the oldest, the head of the siblings!

4. Netflix Binge- I don't make it a point to watch t.v. while classes are in session because then I wouldn't focus on my studies.  And so, over winter break I watched six seasons of Doctor Who in a little under two weeks........I'm not sure if I should be proud or alarmed of my accomplishment! Let me just say it was Fantastic! Allonsy and Geronimo! 

Although it may seem as if I didn't do too much over break...well that's the whole point! It was relaxing to have time to not do anything and now I am ready to tackle the next five weeks.  I'm hoping they really fly by because during break I will be in Japan touring with the Symphonic band and I AM SO EXCITED!  I am ready to go back to school! ALLONSY (Nerd Alert: this is the 10th doctor's quote which means "Let's Go" in french)