My Academic Life
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Academic Life
The past semester has been very exciting for me academically because I have been more involved in music than ever before. As promised by my advisors, previous music teachers, and friends in music programs elsewhere, the semester has been extremely challenging and it has been hard to find free time anywhere in my schedule. I now understand what my mentors were talking about when they described the “life of a music major”. Although I am “only” carrying eighteen credits, I have eleven classes. The workload is immense and I am surprised that I always get everything done.
My first couple weeks as a music student were shocking. I did not know how I was going to finish all of my schoolwork and still have time to practice. The reality is that I still do not have time to do it all. I took three general education courses this semester, on top of my required courses for my major. As a result, I did not find nearly enough time to practice. Looking back, I am disappointed by the amount of time I spent practicing. Next semester, I am only taking one general education course, in an effort to increase available practice time.
A degree in Music Education is essentially a double degree (Music, and Education) that is squished into three and a half years as a result of student teaching at the end of senior year. I have decided that instead of powering through the degree, I am going to take a little more time to finish it. After only my first semester, I already plan to spend an extra year completing the degree. My academics come first, but it is always important to have a social life, and to explore things outside music. By extending my time at Penn State, I am giving myself the opportunity to learn about subjects beyond music and to truly enjoy my time here.
Picture Above courtesy of http://sportsmagick.com
Musical Life – Academic Life – Social Life – Tasks of Living with Others