...the family that's in it

Nancy Chomitz
Jenn Cox


Nancy and Jenn are 2 BCC Alums adding to the very nostalgic buzz in BCC Central on an unusually balmy Thursday in January. Walking through the BCC doors to sing again with the chorus, Nancy and Jenn take a break from their respective schools at UMass Amherst and  University of Southern California. 

"Feels awsome to be back. It's something that I miss so much, and it's great to be back and fit right in," says Jenn. "I thought it would feel weird but it feels like home again."

"I'm missing music pretty badly," according to Nancy. "I missed the music auditions this year, as they were in the first week of school but I'm going to try out next year for sure." All the way in Southern California, Jenn experienced the same awkward audition timing "being in the exact same boat" in dealing with a new school that first week." This temporary absence of a singing schedule has impact on Nancy: "I need to get into singing. I need that sort of family back. I-need-to-be-singing.I feel a little incomplete."

On changes she has noticed, Nancy talks of the branding change: "I like the new logo," she says, as her eye scours the room looking for updated merchandise. "It's really pretty," says Jenn. "I miss the old one but this one is really, really cool."

BCC prepared Jenn to embrace diversity as she first walked into USC with its 17,000 undergrads. "My high school itself was kinda diverse but not like BCC, which was a great introduction to the real world in terms of different cultures. I have a suite-mate from China, one from Thailand, one from Canada."

"For UMass it is very odd as it has 24,000 undergrads but it's not as diverse as you'd expect and you're like 'where is everyone!' and that took getting used to, but BCC prepared me in being a better socializer," says Nancy "BCC was a great way to meet people and to build social skills. Everyone starts with college asking 'what's going on?' and I'm able to approach people and say 'let's be friends right now!' and it works."

BCC helped developed confidence in that you can talk to anyone," adds Jenn. "It was a tough semester in USC. I was in with seniors in one class but I learned to ask questions and that was important."

(at this point in the conversation Gabrielle Brutus walks in to say 'hi' to her long lost buddies)

Dorm life is treating Nancy and Jenn exceedingly well. Nancy met her room-mate in her summer orientation, and Jenn is delighted also with her dorm suite. "They're all great. I was a little bit nervous at first because I hadn't actually met any of them, and my room-mate was from China- making me nervous about language differences but being in BCC made me overcome that quickly." Jenn was adopted from China and didn't know a lot about it. "She's been telling me a lot and it's been great," says Jenn.

The 2 BCC alums are in buoyant spirits as they head off to sing (what else!) with the chorus. There is genuine warmth in the turbo-charged manic chatter around BCC Central as everyone tries to catch up.

"I wish my school was closer to BCC," says Jenn. "I miss the family of it."