Sophomore Jordan Godwin (top left), sophomore Autumn Romines (top right), junior Jhonika Wright (bottom left) and senior Kaitlyn Watson (bottom right) are this year’s Tiger Tunes hostesses. (Photo courtesy of Tyler Rosenthal)
Tiger Tunes is Ouachita’s most famous and wide-spread tradition. One of the most iconic aspects of Tunes is the musical numbers in which the Hosts and Hostesses perform. The Hosts and Hostesses spend months and countless hours in preparation for Tiger Tunes, and in a matter of days, all of their hard work will be on display for the audience to see.
Jordan Godwin, a sophomore hostess explains that being a Tiger Tunes Hostess has helped her immensely in her musical abilities.
“It’s made me learn more about myself with music and I’ve learned that I’m a lot better of a dancer than I thought, and I’ve learned that everyone’s watching and they’re so excited, so it’s made me a better leader on campus,” Godwin explains.
For senior, Kaitlyn Watson, being a hostess hasn’t been as stressful as she thought it might be.
“It has definitely benefitted my wardrobe,” Watson said. “I feel like it has benefited the Ouachita experience.”
Besides some perks, like getting to keep all of their wardrobe purchased for the show, there are also several responsibilities.
“We’re a representation of the school and to all these incoming students, so you really have to watch yourself and make sure that you’re being a good role model for them. That’s helped me a lot; knowing that I am being watched and I need to be on my best behavior,” said Autumn Romines, a sophomore hostess.
Close bonds formed between the Hosts and Hostesses during their many practices and they have all become great friends.
“Getting to know the other [hosts and hostesses] has been one of my favorite things because I didn’t know any of them personally and now I feel like we’re all pretty good friends,” Watson said.
According to Jhonika Wright, a junior hostess, the friendships grew invariably from the beginning of Tunes practice to where the hosts and hostesses are now.
“We all knew each other, but it’s crazy how you literally spend so much time with these people,” Wright said.
“We’re just a small little family and I love it. Just getting to see us grow from starting out at the very first practice to where we are now, we know our music and we know our dances and we’re just ready to go and we’re so excited for our families to come. Yes, practices are long and tiring but that’s the best part,” Godwin said.
The hosts and hostesses had the opportunity to take various trips together including a trip to the Little Rock Zoo and to a recording studio in Dallas, Tex. For Wright, meeting all of the people who have connections to Ouachita has been an incredible part of her hostess experience.
“I’ve loved meeting people that I probably would have never even met or talked to,” Wright says.
As Tunes approaches, the excitement for the performances amp up for all of the hostesses. They are all very proud of the hard work that they have put in and cannot wait for the student body, alumni, faculty, staff and guests to see how the show turns out.
“I’m just ready for my friends and family to see what we’ve been working so hard on,” Godwin said.
The hosts and hostesses will all treasure the time they spent practicing together for years to come. The time, effort and talent that goes into being a hostess will be displayed on the JPAC stage and none of the hostesses can wait.
“I love it; it’s literally been the light of my life and it’s exciting because this is my first Tunes show… I’ve loved every minute of it,” Wright says.
“There’s nothing like being a hostess,” Godwin said.
By Camryn Reeves, copy editor
