Mikayla
It is worth it to keep music in my life as I pursure college and careers?
All throughout k-12 school, music has been a big part of my life. Playing principal clarinet in numerous all-state events and solo contests throughout my high school career has been a big part of my life. However, I am probably going to pursue science in college, and I am wondering if I should keep playing at all. After all, knowing scales and etudes isn't going to help me much in a field of physics or neuroscience. Should I go with my brain and drop it, go with my heart and keep it, or do both somehow?
#music #clarinet #neuroscience #science #physics #stem #double-major
5 answers
Judeanne Armenti
Judeanne’s Answer
Mikayla,
You will be amazed by how much neurological research is done in regards to music.
I just Googled neuroscience and... and music was the second auto fill selection. It's just that popular a combination. In the results for scholarly articles was the title "music, the food of neuroscience?" and it was cited 323 times by other researchers. (https://www.google.com/search?q=neuroscience+and+music&rlz=1C1OKWM_enUS779US779&oq=neuroscience+and+&aqs=chrome.2.69i57j0l5.13638j1j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8)
If it's not something you wish to pursue yourself and another field within neuroscience intrigues you, by all means, follow it. But, never think you need to give up being a musician for any reason. It's a skill that will give you joy, provide stress relief, and make you life of the party no matter what your profession.
Be smart about it but, always follow your heart.
Judeanne recommends the following next steps:
Joseph Canovas
Joseph’s Answer
Anything that makes you happy is worth continuing. If you feel passionately in your heart that music is something you want to keep in your life, it is important that you do so. Whatever career path you take, you will need a balance between professional and personal happiness and success.
I work in a technology company as a supervisor, but have never stopped my creative outlet of woodworking. Keeping things in your life that make you happy will never be a bad choice.
Ken Simmons
Ken’s Answer
As a part of having a balanced life in college and throughout your career, having interests and activities such as music will greatly enhance the quality of your life. The following are some comments by college students regarding balancing life in college.
Ken recommends the following next steps:
Dennis Prendergast
Dennis’s Answer
Good Luck!
Sarah Sarb
Sarah’s Answer
I think that it is absolutely important that you keep music in your life if it is something that you love to do. I think that this will be a great outlet for you to express yourself and to relieve stress as you navigate your studies and your future. Further, graduate school applications love to see people with interests like yours. Being able to play an instrument and be involved in music as well as maintaining your studies will show schools that you have good time management skills and can handle hard workloads.
As long as it is something that you love and that makes you happy it is worth pursuing.