We had the opportunity of interviewing Joyce, an alum from UCLA and student at Rice University about: Extracurriculars
Here are some of her qualifications:
a professional violinist
a YouTuber who shares valuable advice about her violin experiences
Here are some important words she shares
"It’s always important to have that honest conversation with yourself."
"Sometimes life takes us in different directions and we have to be open to that and not take it too seriously."
Q: When did you start playing the violin and when did you discover you had a deep talent and interest in it?
A: I started playing when I was 9 years old. It wasn’t much longer after I started that I decided I would try for a career path in music. By middle school I began catering my life around practicing and school work.
Q: What was a typical day like for you balancing violin, other extracurriculars, and school?
A: Most of the days, I would spend the remaining daylight after school to practice. This typically went from 4-9 pm, and then I would spend 9-12am catching up on homework and studying for exams. Because of my schedule I rarely had time for any recurring extracurriculars or social activities.
Q: For some of your major extracurriculars, roughly how many hours a week did you spend involved in it (preparing for competitions, attending meetings, etc)?
A: I definitely spent most of my after school hours on my major extracurriculars (mainly practicing violin in some form). That probably adds up to about 18-20 hours a week.
Q: Did you ever prioritize your extracurriculars above your schoolwork or grades?
A: Yes! I definitely prioritized my time with my violin and every other activity that involves it (such as private lessons, orchestras, and competitions) over schoolwork. For my particular major, the way you play the violin influences your acceptance into any particular university so I focused most of my attention on playing the violin.
Q: What advice would you give to anyone doubting if their passion will get them anywhere, worth the time and trouble, or if it truly is what they love (or they should keep searching)?
A: It’s always important to have that honest conversation with yourself. On the one hand, I support most people in following their dreams and aspirations — especially if they’re passionate about it. But it has to be followed with hard work and commitment. If at one point, you realize it isn't going right or the way you want it to, I think an honest conversation is fully required at this point. Sometimes life takes us in different directions and we have to be open to that and not take it too seriously.
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