Q&A: Sarah Bellairs
By Megan Murphy
Reporter
Sarah Bellairs, a psychology major, believes that a strong support system is the key to success.
Tell me a little about yourself.
Well, my name’s Sarah Bellairs, and I turned eighteen in June. My birthday’s a summer month, so I’m always younger than most of the people in my class. I have autism; it’s a mild form called PDD-NOS, and it’s not really bad or anything. I have my mom, my dad, and my brother, and my dog.
Why did you choose Crowder College?
My mom went here twice. I want to become a musical therapist in the future, so I decided having an intro to psychology would help me a lot with that.
Why did you choose to major in psychology?
Since I have autism, music has been a way of expressing myself in a way that words aren’t always able to. I want to use that same concept with other people.
How does musical therapy work, exactly?
You can play songs or have someone learn an instrument. You can have somebody learn how to sing and read music. It works in a variety of ways. It just depends on the person.
What are some of your hobbies?
I like to sing; I like to write. I like to read. I like going outside sometimes and just walking, listening to the birds sing. I like being with [my dog]; she’s really sweet.
What inspires you?
Flowers always give me a bit of inspiration. I guess people inspire me too, certain people, like my mom. She’s just been a big inspiration for me.
What does your mom do?
She works at Central Elementary as a special education teacher, and she works really hard with the kindergarteners, first graders, and second graders. Each kid has different needs, so it’s a little hard to go back and forth between every kid.
What is your brother like?
I love him, but sometimes I just want to throw him against a wall, you know? Every sibling relationship’s like that.
What are some causes you’re passionate about?
Well, the environment’s one. I like the environment. I’m not one of those radical people that stands outside picketing, like “Save the Trees!”, but I like the Earth and its beauty.
What was your favorite high school subject?
I had a lot of them. One of them was choir. Like I mentioned earlier, I like to sing, so choir was really fun for me. I also liked English because I’ve always been an avid reader and writer.
What were some specific things about choir that you liked?
Well, I liked singing, of course. I also liked learning more about the music itself; where it came from, the different tones and pitches, stuff like that.
Where is your favorite place in Neosho?
Denny’s. It’s a really cool atmosphere, and all the servers are really friendly there.
What is your favorite childhood memory?
When I was little, I really liked peanut butter, so one day when my mom and dad were doing something in the house, I took a big tub of [it], and put my hands in it all the way up to my elbows! When they came back, I was eating butter out of my hands. I was so silly when I was little, but it was really funny!
Is family one of the most important things in your life?
Yes, family is one of the most important things to me. If I lost my family I don’t know what I would do with myself.
If you could live anywhere, where would you live and why?
Oh, that’s a hard question. I would love to live in Hawaii. I’ve never gone to the beach, and it’s always been one of my lifelong dreams.
When is your favorite holiday?
I like Easter, because Christ was raised from the dead.
Is religion really important to you?
Yeah, it is. I’ve been a Christian since I was seven years old.
What would be some advice you would give to someone?
I’m not usually one to give advice, but I would say don’t push away your family. I still live at home with my parents and brother. [Your family] will be your first support.
Would you consider yourself more of an introvert or an extrovert?
Introvert, definitely. I like going out and doing things with people, but most of the time I like being by myself and getting lost in my own thoughts.
What kinds of music do you like?
I like Christian music; it doesn’t matter what kind. Rock, pop, hip-hop, whatever. I like dubstep, some electronic music.
Do you think Crowder will help enrich your overall learning experience?
I think it will; I get to interact with a whole lot of people I’ve never met before. I get to learn more about life itself.
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