Anyone who has chosen music as their career path knows that our lives are not just scenes straight from The Sound of Music (I mean, we can't all be the flawless Julie Andrews). Being a music major means we fell in love with something so much that we were willing to commit to it — all of it: the good, the bad, and the ugly. This life choice isn't for the faint at heart. It's messy, it's scary, and sometimes just downright shady, but we just can't get enough of it. Unless you're a music major yourself, you won't understand what we do on a daily basis, and it's nothing short of a miracle if we manage to get more than five hours of sleep each night (or day, we'll take it when we can). The phrase "the struggle is real," has never been more relevant when it comes to describing the life of a music student. So from one veteran to the other, I think there a few things we can all agree on.
1. "Don't you get to just, like, play music all day?"
Trust me, it's not what you think.
2. Music Theory.
You learn all the rules just to break them. And no, the rules aren't easy.
3. "Oh you're a music major? Sing something!"
Literally, if I had a dime for every time I've heard this, I'd have enough money to buy every person who has ever asked me this a plane ticket to anywhere not near me.
4. "Oral Skills Class"
IT'S AURAL. AURAL SKILLS. AS IN EAR SKILLS. Get your minds out of the gutter, people.
5. "Singing can't be that hard."
Bouncing a ball up and down a court can't be that hard. Dissecting a frog can't be that hard. Swimming around in a pool can't be that hard. Have I made my point yet?
6. "So do you play an instrument or do you just sing?"
I don't "just" sing. I am an instrument. I am the instrument. I play the voice. The voice is an instrument.
7. "Can you teach me to sing?"
Can you pay me?
8. Music History.
Someday, knowing the full name, birthdate, death-date, important events in their lives, every sonata, concerto, aria, opera, operetta, string quartet, symphony, song cycle, sonatina and the corresponding key signature, Opus number, Köchel number, phone number, social security number, address, every psycho ex they ever wrote a song about, and way too much information about their too-close-for-comfort relationships with their siblings will come in handy. But until then, we're left with the PTSD from staying up all night studying for the listening exams we knew we'd fail anyway.
9. Pretending to be a real adult at all those music conferences.
Does this pants suit make me look like I know what I'm doing?
10. Hearing people complain about their 14 hours when you've been taking 18+ hours including summer classes and zero credit choirs since freshman year just to graduate on time— maybe.
Oh and don't forget the two church gigs, community choir, and karaoke night you've committed your remaining free time to.
11. Going to your "regular" classes.
Stay calm, they can probably smell fear.
12. Spontaneously breaking out into song.
It's not like I meant to, it just sort of happened. Sorry not sorry.
13. Accidentally spitting on the person in front you because the director needs more "k".
This wouldn't have happened if everyone would just do their part and give the man a "k".
14. That one soprano who thinks the note is always higher than it really is just because she's a soprano.
Just because you can, doesn't mean you should.
15. "How are you going to make a living?"
I don't know, maybe I'll just sell my soul and hope for the best. I haven't really thought this through, I mean you're the first person ever to ask me that in my entire life. Really.
16. Observing in high schools for your methods classes and pretending to be the adult that you aren't so they don't swallow you whole.
It doesn't help that they're bigger than you, either.
17. Waving your arms and calling it "conducting".
Honestly, if you just act like you know what you're doing no one will notice. Hopefully.
18. Class Piano.
It's basically just four semesters of never knowing what's going on and apologizing for being so un-talented.
19. When you have to get up to sing in studio class and your teacher asks you to do it from memory.
I'm sorry, does my failure bring you some sort of sick and twisted joy?
20. You only take your water at room temperature and can be seen at any given time chugging lemon tea or straight honey.
It's not weird, it's called survival. And don't even think about coughing near me.
21. "Hey let's hang out today, I feel like I never see you!"
I can't, I have rehearsal.
22. Going to bed knowing that despite everything we as music majors put up with, it's all worth it.
Mostly because we have cool party tricks, like overtone singing or breaking a wine glass just by singing the right pitch at the right time, (not that I can do that because it's honestly pretty hard).
