The season of pumpkin spice lattes, cinnamon crusted baked goods, and oversized sweatshirts is upon us. The "basics" of the changing seasons give us all something to look forward to outside of our schoolwork and ensemble participations, and as we approach this transition, there are a few other "basics" that we need to keep in mind. (No, these basics don't have anything to do with the festive Starbucks cups or DIY Pinterest tutorials.) These basics are every day parts of our college education, and who we are as music educators.

The first "basic" is SELF. At this point in the semester, we all know what our schedules are like, when we have time to practice, when we don't, and when we have five minutes to run to the dining hall and cram a taco into our bags for later. Use your knowledge of yourself to your advantage! When we're constantly on the go, it can be easy to gloss over our own health and wellbeing. Take the time to plan healthy meals for yourself, even if it means staying up late or getting up earlier to pack a lunch. Create a routine that allows for exercise, even if it's walking/biking to a class instead of driving or taking a bus. Lastly, take time to do things you love—even if that thing is not music! On the weekends, I set aside some downtime for myself to make decorative wreaths. Our State Collegiate VP, Caleb Austin, likes to knit socks. Self-care is important!

SERVICE is "basic" number two. We all spend a great deal of time participating in activities, heading up clubs, leading ensembles, and engaging in communities that really have nothing to do with us at all. Running in the campus 5K isn't going to make you rich and famous, and being the section leader of your choir, band, or orchestra certainly isn't either. It can be easy to feel overwhelmed and drained by these kinds of activities, so it's important to stop and assess why we do them. Why are you serving? Who are serving? How can you incorporate others into what you are doing? You all are doing great work, I see and hear about it on a daily basis. Remember that the things you do have an incredible impact on others, and also remember that sometimes, it's okay to say "no!"

Our third "basic" is SOUND. We are daily creating music and sound throughout the state of Kansas at our perspective schools and universities. This sound that we create as musicians, performers, and educators impacts our students, current and future. As midterms and the end of eight-week classes approach, we can forget why it is that we're pursuing music in the first place. When you create music with an ensemble, your heart beats at the same rate, in the same time, as the people you're creating music with. This "job," "profession," "career" that we're pursuing revolves so heavily around our community and our passion. Allow your community of peers, colleagues, and students to encourage you this semester—we're all making sound together!

Thanks to those of you who attended KCOMTEPS this year—we had a great turn out and our headlining clinician, Jennifer Bailey, was ecstatic to be able to speak to us about Music Learning Theory. My hope is that you all walked away from the conference with new ideas to ponder and practical pedagogical techniques to apply to your teaching. Make sure to keep me in the loop, and I look forward to seeing you all at the ISW Conference in February!