Singing the Waseda Anthem: Unforgettable experience full of exciting emotions
Zara
Graduate School of Creative Science and Engineering (CSE)
In early January of 2025, I had the opportunity to participate in the “Singing of the Waseda Anthem” event, organized by the ICC team. It was my very first ICC event, and I was very excited to sing the Waseda’s Alma Mater in Armenian, my native language. I enjoyed the process of trying to understand the meaning of the Anthem’s words and translating them into Armenian harmoniously. To be honest, at first, I was a bit nervous about what to expect, but it turned out to be an unforgettable experience for me.
The translation itself felt like a challenging process, as it was important to match the lyrics with the melody. It was a unique experience for me, and I’m very happy that, through this event, I was able to practice these new skills and enjoy the process of translating Japanese lyrics into Armenian.
Photo by author
During the event, I was placed in a group with three other students from different backgrounds. It turned out to be an intercultural group: two girls were from Japan, the other girl was from France, and myself from Armenia. We decided to learn singing each other’s language versions of the Waseda Anthem, so we could perform parts of the song in each language together. We had fun moments while trying to teach each other the new words. It was fascinating to experience French lyrics and the teach a few Armenian words to the other girls in our small group. Through this process, it felt like more than just a singing, and I truly experienced amazing cultural exchange.
The energy in the room was amazing as well. I found myself enjoying every moment, from the warm-up, where we were singing karaoke versions of popular songs ?, to the final performance. It was incredible how just 3 or 4 minutes of singing could make me feel so connected to everyone else there. I met wonderful people and created unforgettable memories that will stay with me forever.
For any student considering joining future ICC events, I recommend you with all of my heart, to join the events with confidence. Not only will you have fun, but you will also meet incredible people while learning new things. Time flies during these events, and you will find yourself cherishing every moment.
I am very thankful to the ICC for organizing this event and giving me the opportunity to have this unforgettable experience.
Photo by ICC
