Re: In light of the "Very Disturbed" post...


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Posted by Steve Dedman on August 19, 2001 at 11:05:49:

In Reply to: In light of the "Very Disturbed" post... posted by Devin on August 18, 2001 at 15:51:37:

Find something other than music that you enjoy as a diversion.

When you get into college, there will be times where you will be practicing more than you are sleeping. Finding a way to blow off steam (other than binge-drinking with your dorm-mates; been there-done that, it doesn't help) is vitally important. One of the reasons that so many people (myself included) don't finish a music degree is the burn-out factor. Know your limits, and when circumstances push you near them, as soon as possible lay the horn down and go fishin' for an afternoon (or play some raquetball, or lift weights, or read, or play cards, or whatever). Right after mid-terms or juries is usually a good time to take a break and rediscover your sanity. Sometimes the best way to stay focussed is to ease off and relax.

Since I've never seen it posted, I'll try to give you some equivalents from my own freshman experience.

17 credit hours, each credit represents an hour spent in class. Of course, each class has required time outside of class time. Here goes:

Freshman Theory, 5 credits. An hour per night homework = 7
Intro to Music History, 3 credits. An hour per night reading = 7
US History, 3 credits. 2 hours per night reading = 14
English Composition, 3 credits. An hour per night writing = 7
Marching Band, 1 credit (although counting game days this will take up as much as 20 hours per week). Probably won't need much in the
way of practice, so you're lucky here.
Wind Ensemble/Concert Band, 1 credit. Probably an hour per day working on the excerpts = 7
Applied Lessons, 1 credit. Most time consuming of all. 3 hours per day minimum, more likely 4 = 21 (for the sake of argument)
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TOTALS: 7 cllasses, 17 credits, requiring 83 hours of outside class time work per week.

Add the class time back in, and you have spent 100 hours this week on your education. I know workaholics that spend less time on their job.

There are 168 hours in the week, so now you're left with 68. Subtract 56 hours for sleep (you do too need it!) and you're left with 12 hours in which to eat, walk to class, do laundry, live your life, and generally relax. And 12 hours ain't much time; a lot less than your business-major friends will have by a long way.

If you know or learn to manage your time wisely, and keep your head on straight, you can do it as many on this list have done. As they say, forewarned is forearmed. These numbers are somewhat pessimistic, but not by a lot. Consider yourself fortunate if you have a schedule like that with 24 hours of "free" time per week.

Good luck in your musical pursuits.

Steve


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