What even is ‘the Blair bubble’?

Vanderbilt University’s Blair School of Music is a small conservatory­ like school with no graduate program. With only 207 students, Blair makes up a measly 1.64 percent of Vanderbilt’s total student population (12,605). Blair is also found at the far reaches of campus. ­ This causes a noticeable social separation which students and faculty refer to as “The Blair Bubble.”

To gain an understanding of conceptions about the bubble, students on the outside were asked to define the Blair Bubble, reasons for its existence, and whether or not it could be popped.

Alex Sasse, a major in Actuarial Science, defined the bubble as “an inside club of Blair students that other people aren’t allowed to enter or join.”

Freshman Yuthika Gundamaraju, hesitant to label it as such, argued that “it projects this image of Blair students being separatist or elitist. It’s because Blair is so far away. ­ It’s just easier to spend all your time there.”

Katie Gillett, music minor and member of Blair’s Symphonic Choir, offered a slightly different take:­ “The kids who are studying music spend a whole lot of time at Blair, so they don’t interact with the rest of campus as much. They all get to know each other, which creates a really awesome environment at Blair.” But that’s coming from someone who has actually been to the school and sat through rehearsals.

Molecular and cellular biology major Alex Borowsky claims, “I’ve heard there is an actual glass dome over the school that looks like a bubble.”

“The Bubble? No, you can’t pop it,” said Alex B. “I wouldn’t know how to pop it,” said Alex S. Blair students do make occaisional contact with the rest of the university, though. Psychology major and member of the university’s marching band and Tau Beta Sigma chapter, Barbara Santa said, “I have a bunch of friends in Blair, but I never see them on campus because all of their classes are in Egypt. I only stay in touch with them through Spirit of Gold or Tau Beta Sigma.”

When asked if there was more to it than the air fare to Africa, she replied, “Blair’s breaks between classes aren’t long enough anyway ­ they don’t have time to meet. Blair students all take 18 credit hours, and then when they’re not in 100 different ensemble rehearsals, they’re practicing.”

Those 100 ensembles might be the key to popping the bubble, however. Sophomore Neroscience major Rachel Gilfarb remarked, “I believe [you could pop the bubble]. I think the introductory classes have a wide mix of students in them, and that’s where I made the friends that I have in Blair. I love Blair kids. They’re so creative and they offer really cool takes on things. Plus, the general school poulation should be going to more Blair concerts and Blair events. They’re free and they’re fun.”

Similarly, Katie enthusiastically said, “There are ample opportunities for popping. The rest of campus could be more interested in all the cool stuff going on at Blair and Blair could reach out more. That would be the first step. [Blair] is a huge resource to be exposed to cutting edge music and to be more in touch with culture in university life.”

What would you have done when you were three if someone blew a bubble in front of you? You’d pop it. Embrace your inner three-year-old, Vanderbilt. Pop that bubble.