- Brief Description of My Step Project
My STEP project was one of creative and artistic motivation. After discontinuing my music education many years ago, I have had the longing to revisit and regrow my musical understanding and abilities. This project enabled me to put this plan in to action by enrolling in both voice and guitar lessons this past summer. I had previously been involved in choir, but I had never played the guitar; therefore, this project offered the perfect opportunity to refresh and enhance existing skills and learn entirely new ones. I have always thought it would be wonderful to play the guitar while singing. With this project, I practiced reading music, understanding the structure of a guitar, techniques for both voice and guitar, and how I can continue to build and combine the two as a cohesive musical interest.
- STEP transformations
This project has certainly been transformational. While I learned a lot about voice and guitar, I also learned a lot about myself and life overall. This project encouraged me to be flexible and adaptable to circumstances outside of my control. It also showed my how empowering it can be to learn something new and go outside of your comfort zone. Not only empowering, but beneficial to a continuous growth mindset, which I see as essential to a long, happy, healthy life. Lastly, this project provided me with a renewed appreciation for balance in my life. I realize how important it is to have creative interests that I can work on independently regardless of where I am in my life.
- What led to the transformations discussed above?
To begin, this project required my adaptability from the start. When I joined the STEP program, I was in my sophomore year, which also happened to be the first full school year of covid. Everything was virtual and everything was uncertain. I had initially planned to use my STEP money to pursue study abroad, but with the evolution of the pandemic, it seemed less plausible by the day. While I was holding on to hope that I could still study abroad as intended, it became evident that I would not be able to make that my STEP project due to time limitations. It was disappointing at first as it seemed that everything I had planned for with school was turning out differently, but I soon saw it as an opportunity to pursue another interest of mine, which was music. My disappointment soon faded, and I was excited to embark on a new project and work with the hand I was dealt and make sure my project was a success.
As I mentioned previously, I had some musical experience in my life, but it had been years since my most recent formal education. In middle school, I played the viola for a few years, and I was in the choir through junior high. This established some base understanding when it came to music, but for the most part, I felt as though I was starting from the ground up. I couldn’t read music fluently, I was nervous to sing by myself in front of my new voice instructor, and I had never played a guitar in my life. I was surprised at how quickly I seemed to catch on to what I was learning; I couldn’t believe I could play a song on the guitar after one lesson. I was also pleasantly surprised to see how my confidence in myself, not just musically, but overall, grew as I continued to take lessons. While I still have lots of room for growth and I plan to continue my education, I am proud to see how far I’ve come and what I am capable of.
While I was sad to see the official end of my STEP project, I know that it is not the end of my musical journey. As I have said, I have more to learn. This project has been a good challenge for me; I have refreshed old skills and picked up entirely new ones. It is a powerful thing to challenge your mind; I think it keeps you engaged and healthy. I can especially see this with the mind and hand coordination needed when playing the guitar and it has made me think that more people would benefit from learning to play.
As an engineering major, I often struggle with the lack of creativity needed in my day-to-day work. Due to this, I frequently look for artistic endeavors to pursue on the side. I crave the balance of analytical and creative mindsets. When I had a stressful day or week this summer, I found that I was able to let that go and entirely focus on my music when practicing or attending lessons. To me, this is important in managing stress levels in day-to-day life. Moreover, voice and guitar are special in that they can be practiced both with others and independently; despite what is going on in my life, I can continue with these musical endeavors. I have found this to be even more critical after living through covid-19 and seeing how much of my normal life and came to a halt. I feel confident that music will always be there.
- Why is this change valuable in my life?
The changes I have experienced as a result of this program are valuable as I feel they can be applied throughout my life and for the rest of my life. Flexibility is important with jobs, with family and friends, and with life in general; being able to and comfortable with adjusting makes change easier and less daunting. Increasing confidence can lead to increasing self-esteem and increasing opportunities in all aspects of one’s life. Learning new things keeps us on our toes; both mental and physical health are extremely important. A mindset of continuous growth pushes one to learn more about themselves and the world around them, while also providing varied and unending purpose in daily life. Lastly, balance is what I need; it reduces stress, creates a well-rounded perspective, and allows me to present in each aspect of my life. Balance allows me a break from one mindset to focus on another. I didn’t realize how meaningful music education would be for me, but with this self-reflection, the impact has become more evident.
Figure 1: My guitar
Figure 2: Music Books with notes written in for guitar
Figure 3: Some of the songs I learned in voice with a few of my notes added