The Music Department’s Nashville trip was an educational, fun, and wonderful new experience for students.

The trip took place March 20-24, during the first half of spring break. Students chose the bus they wanted to ride in and who they wanted to room with ahead of time. Places to visit were organized completely ahead of time, with designated free time to wander Broadway street, the Opry Mills Mall, and local shops. 

Students were given plenty of new opportunities and places to visit, including the Grand Ole Opry, the Ryman Auditorium, Studio B, and the Country Music Hall of Fame. There were many new places to see, and things to learn about music and its history.

There were also plenty of places to try new foods. Students got plenty of options in different food courts, restaurants, and even a farmers’ market. The wide variety of options encouraged students to try new options. 

The only issue is how often students were on their feet. The schedule was constantly full, waking up to leave at 8:30 in the morning, and often getting back at closer to 10 p.m. every night. Students were moving around and exploring all day, and got back right before curfew, making it impossible for them to talk with friends in other rooms once they got back, if they weren’t already too tired to do so. Most stops during the day were waiting for other groups to finish what they were doing, eating, or shopping.

The bus rides to Nashville and back were commendable. The buses had curtains, and stopped frequently enough to stretch or grab a snack, but not so much as to disrupt the route. They were quiet, and made it easy to sleep through the ride.

The trip as a whole was a wonderful, great experience. It had plenty of stops and shows to make it a truly memorable experience, without being too over-the-top or having too much to keep up with. The only downside was that there wasn’t a lot of downtime to sit and relax without eating or listening to the loud music on Broadway. All in all, however, the trip was an amazing experience for students and chaperones.