Discussion
Ok folks, I am at a dead end as to what I want to do with my life. I currently have a place at Leeds College Of Music waiting for me, starting this September. However, getting student finance is turning in to a ball ache, and my Diploma results seem to have gone missing and haven't arrived with me, and nobody has forwarded anything to LCM to confirm I have a place (my tutors have told me I have got my results confirmed, and that the certificates should arrive soon....however that was over a week ago). I am also bored of music as a career. I do enjoy knocking out a catchy tune or massive behemoth of a riff, but as a career, such as sessioning or teaching, the whole thing has become less appealing due to the immense stress levels. Also, I recently quit my band, due to the fact I get very stressed with it, and also the fact the idea of touring no longer has the same appeal. So, I need something new. I don't really know what to say about myself. I like cars obviously, I like the gym, and I like parrots. I do enjoy music, but not as much as i used to. I enjoy routine, as in 'get up, go to work, come home' kinda thing. I'm not overly worried about earning masses of money. I don't need a big house to be happy. I'm just at a loose end as to what to do with the rest of my life, and it's crunch time. Anyone got any sensible ideas?
Can only really tell you my experience, which started in a similar place. I started a music degree and like you found it took all the fun out of playin' tunes. Abandoned thoughts of being a session musician and worked in IT for a year, before ditching that and getting into local journalism. Then diversified a few years later into motoring journalism. And love it.
Doing something you love is all well and good, but it can take the fun out of a hobby. I found writing, and writing about the motoring industry as a whole, is wide-ranging enough to keep me interested.
Doing something you love is all well and good, but it can take the fun out of a hobby. I found writing, and writing about the motoring industry as a whole, is wide-ranging enough to keep me interested.
PhillT said:
Can only really tell you my experience, which started in a similar place. I started a music degree and like you found it took all the fun out of playin' tunes. Abandoned thoughts of being a session musician and worked in IT for a year, before ditching that and getting into local journalism. Then diversified a few years later into motoring journalism. And love it.
Doing something you love is all well and good, but it can take the fun out of a hobby. I found writing, and writing about the motoring industry as a whole, is wide-ranging enough to keep me interested.
Can I just ask about how you got into journalism please?? Doing something you love is all well and good, but it can take the fun out of a hobby. I found writing, and writing about the motoring industry as a whole, is wide-ranging enough to keep me interested.
Especiially motoring journalism. Martin T said:
Ganglandboss said:
You like music, going to the gym and parrots - do you play bass at all?Edited by Ganglandboss on Wednesday 27th August 21:37
A whitty remark from the music lovers out there.
Ganglandboss said:
Martin T said:
Ganglandboss said:
You like music, going to the gym and parrots - do you play bass at all?Edited by Ganglandboss on Wednesday 27th August 21:37
A whitty remark from the music lovers out there.
I should do my homework really.
Sorry
Martin T said:
Ganglandboss said:
Martin T said:
Ganglandboss said:
You like music, going to the gym and parrots - do you play bass at all?Edited by Ganglandboss on Wednesday 27th August 21:37
A whitty remark from the music lovers out there.
I should do my homework really.
Sorry
My friend is a Senior Lecturer at Leeds College of Music
It is really tough making such big choices at an early age. You sound quite stressed at the moment and that certainly isn't helping your situation or enabling you to think clearly. Any job in the arts is tough. Many artists (and I include fine artists, various design disciplines, musicians) fund their careers through lecturing. It is hard to maintain a balance between the two as lecturing can take over and you can't always be around to accept commissions if you have to be stood in front of a class. I got to the point where I had enough and had a complete career change. Life is long and can be very rich (in terms of experiences). You might start out on one path and then turn along another. If you change your mind or change direction don't see it as a failing but part of the maturing process and discovery of what you are really good at and enjoy. Anything worthwhile is rarely a waste of time. Working as a graphic designer made me a far better editorial photographer.
You need to perhaps have a good long think about where your skills lie. If you can find yourself a good careers advisor that would be a massive plus but they are a bit like gold dust. So, maybe pop into your college and see if they have a skills test that you can do. The decent ones will probably last at least an hour. I've heard that they are pretty good at present. I did one about ten or so years ago at uni. I scoffed at the time but in retrospect it was pretty accurate.
Having reservations isn't a bad thing. It shows that you are thinking seriously about your future. It is a pretty big step that you are about to take. I wish you well!
It is really tough making such big choices at an early age. You sound quite stressed at the moment and that certainly isn't helping your situation or enabling you to think clearly. Any job in the arts is tough. Many artists (and I include fine artists, various design disciplines, musicians) fund their careers through lecturing. It is hard to maintain a balance between the two as lecturing can take over and you can't always be around to accept commissions if you have to be stood in front of a class. I got to the point where I had enough and had a complete career change. Life is long and can be very rich (in terms of experiences). You might start out on one path and then turn along another. If you change your mind or change direction don't see it as a failing but part of the maturing process and discovery of what you are really good at and enjoy. Anything worthwhile is rarely a waste of time. Working as a graphic designer made me a far better editorial photographer.
You need to perhaps have a good long think about where your skills lie. If you can find yourself a good careers advisor that would be a massive plus but they are a bit like gold dust. So, maybe pop into your college and see if they have a skills test that you can do. The decent ones will probably last at least an hour. I've heard that they are pretty good at present. I did one about ten or so years ago at uni. I scoffed at the time but in retrospect it was pretty accurate.
Having reservations isn't a bad thing. It shows that you are thinking seriously about your future. It is a pretty big step that you are about to take. I wish you well!
Ganglandboss said:
Martin T said:
Ganglandboss said:
You like music, going to the gym and parrots - do you play bass at all?Edited by Ganglandboss on Wednesday 27th August 21:37
A whitty remark from the music lovers out there.
I sometimes wish i studied Music instead of Maths and Economics. If you are already disillusioned with the idea of music as a career then you won't get very far in that field. Sounds like you're into office work, but some words of warning - it's even more fecking tedious. Maybe you're just being lazy?
Thanks for the replies guys...even if some are a little confusing....
Back on topic, personal traning would be of interest, but I don't know how good I'd be. I'm knowledgeable, but I'm not like the typical ripped up PT...I just don't have the genetics to be like that without years of hard work. So I feel I may be laughed at trying to be a personal trainer, as I don't look the part. If that makes sense?
As for office work, it may be the way forward. I just don't know what line of office work it would be in.
I may give my dad a call, he was a careers advisor once.
Back on topic, personal traning would be of interest, but I don't know how good I'd be. I'm knowledgeable, but I'm not like the typical ripped up PT...I just don't have the genetics to be like that without years of hard work. So I feel I may be laughed at trying to be a personal trainer, as I don't look the part. If that makes sense?
As for office work, it may be the way forward. I just don't know what line of office work it would be in.
I may give my dad a call, he was a careers advisor once.
Speedy! As a Personal Trainer your job does not entail displaying physical perfection, its irrelevant to be honest!!! Your skills, training, and belief in yourself, will potentially allow your clients to become physically healthier, which may have positive repercussions in other aspects of their lives.
Its not just about you. . .you have a lot to give . . .
Personally I have been recently battling my own demons as have been incredibly fit and healthy for many years and now have to battle with a meniscus (knee cartilage) injury, thats getting me down and preventing me doing what i have spent half my life doing. . .cycling!
Sports Psychology, physiotherapist?
Good Luck
Its not just about you
. . .you have a lot to give . . .Personally I have been recently battling my own demons as have been incredibly fit and healthy for many years and now have to battle with a meniscus (knee cartilage) injury, thats getting me down and preventing me doing what i have spent half my life doing. . .cycling!
Sports Psychology, physiotherapist?
Good Luck
Edited by Digger. on Thursday 28th August 00:54
Speed12fanatic said:
Back on topic, personal traning would be of interest, but I don't know how good I'd be. I'm knowledgeable, but I'm not like the typical ripped up PT...I just don't have the genetics to be like that without years of hard work. So I feel I may be laughed at trying to be a personal trainer, as I don't look the part. If that makes sense?
If this bloke can do it, anyone can...http://www.scottalexander.tv/welcome.php
I believe LCM or one of the related colleges does courses in music production engineering (recording, mixing etc), you might like to look into that side of things. Alternatively, pester local studios etc and see if you can get someone to chat to with a view to an apprenticeship. In my experience, it is more important that you get a foothold in the industry than it is to get paper qualifications (which is what I did).
If you want to get into the car industry or motorsport, various colleges do foundation years, which enable you to take a technical Degree without A-level maths, physics etc. I believe Leeds Uni do an aviation engineering Degree, which sounds quite sexy (but is probably dull). Doing a 4 years honours Degree in IT certainly knocked the enthusiasm out of me, so I know how you feel.
If you want to get into the car industry or motorsport, various colleges do foundation years, which enable you to take a technical Degree without A-level maths, physics etc. I believe Leeds Uni do an aviation engineering Degree, which sounds quite sexy (but is probably dull). Doing a 4 years honours Degree in IT certainly knocked the enthusiasm out of me, so I know how you feel.
Two men get washed up on a island after a shipwreck,as they are lying on the beach they can hear the sound of drumming in the distance. they decide to try and find the source of the drums. They walk through the jungle for 2 days, all the time the sound of the drumming is getting closer.
On the third day they arrive in a large town, they can still hear the drums but cannot find where it is coming from. They ask a local what the drumming is for, he says "Don't worry about the drums, be worried when the drumming stops".
The drums continue for another day, the men are getting more worried about what will happen once the drumming has stopped. They ask another person what the drumning means and get the same reply, "be worried when the drumming stops"
The next day the 2 men are at breaking point, they grab another local, shove him up against the wall, and say to him "For God's sake man this drumming is driving us insane, and you have to tell us what will happen when the drumming stops"
With a look of terror in his eyes the local gives them their answer.
Bass solo.
On the third day they arrive in a large town, they can still hear the drums but cannot find where it is coming from. They ask a local what the drumming is for, he says "Don't worry about the drums, be worried when the drumming stops".
The drums continue for another day, the men are getting more worried about what will happen once the drumming has stopped. They ask another person what the drumning means and get the same reply, "be worried when the drumming stops"
The next day the 2 men are at breaking point, they grab another local, shove him up against the wall, and say to him "For God's sake man this drumming is driving us insane, and you have to tell us what will happen when the drumming stops"
With a look of terror in his eyes the local gives them their answer.
Bass solo.
Edited by Baby Huey on Thursday 28th August 07:26
Baby Huey said:
Bass solo.
Superb! 
Dear OP.
What you have just discovered is that sometimes life makes choices for you and not the other way around. If you have a particular skillset you simply have to exploit it. Finish up what you are doing, get properly qualified at it and then take a look at what else you might do.
Being a travelling musician is a wonderful life for a young, unmarried man. It's not bad for an older, married, extremely successful man either. It's hard, frankly, for an older, married less successful musician.
So is consultancy or anything itinerant.
Asking for suggestions on here for careers is a bit pointless.
It's not what you want to do. It's what you can do.
What can you do? If there's nothing but drumming you are a drummer. What else can you do?
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