Life after school

First off.

I want to thank everyone who has supported me as a transitioned from being a full-time student to being a full-time adult. As some may know from social media, I have recently accepted a job at a large performing arts nonprofit in Milwaukee and I am very excited to start there soon. This would not have been possible without encouragement from family, friends, and my very fabulous partner.

Now the actual story.

I left school for Milwaukee with no concrete plans. I knew that I had a gig with an orchestra the first day I got into the city and two job interviews for some menial jobs.There were only two things I knew to be true at this point: I want to continue to practice, and I am going to finish my dissertation. With this in mind, I was looking particularly for jobs that had flexible hours so I would be able to write and practice to my heart's content. 

After being in Milwaukee for thirteen days, I started my first shift on the flow team at Target. For those of you who are not familiar with Target jargon, I will fill you in. The flow team unloads the General Merchandise and Food trucks before the store opens, sends product out to the floor, and puts all products in their place. My shifts start at 4 AM. Here are some pictures.

I am ready for work. My eyes are almost open.

I listened to loud music before my shift to get more pumped up for moving around for six hours.

Watching the sun rise during my break at 6:30.

This will sound weird, but I loved my time at Target. I met people I would have never met otherwise and worked hard. After work, I would come home and practice for an hour (after of course eating my third meal of the day at 10 AM), nap, and then write for my dissertation. As a fun thing to do in the community, I auditioned to be in the Milwaukee Symphony Chorus. By some miracle, I got in. Four days ago, I had my first concert in Uihlein Hall, home of the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra, singing the Brahms Requiem with the MSO. 

Why am I telling you this?

I am writing about my experiences in Milwaukee as a public service announcement to people who will leave school, which is everyone. Here are the things I learned and the things I recommend.

1. Get a job. No really. Any job. If your goal is to be an orchestral musician and you put so much pressure on yourself to practice and win the six jobs that come around each year, you will probably be miserable. You don't have to work forty hours per week, but you should work a little bit. Financial strain can take a lot out of you and all of the people around you.
2. Structure your day. When I left school, I had a lot of trouble trying to figure out what non-students do during their day. Just come up with some sort of plan, such as a time to practice every day, a time to write every day, or even time to take a walk.
3. Become part of your community. Previously, you were part of a school. You were given your peers and told where to go. Now it's your turn to do that yourself. Joining the Milwaukee Symphony Chorus helped me meet people who were interested in music, but not professionals. As you all may know, I play the bassoon. I do not sing particularly well. But I knew that this was an opportunity to be musical RIGHT NOW. Freelancing is all about making connections and meeting people, so expecting people to call you when you first get into town is unreasonable. Remember, when you first get into town, all gigs are good gigs. Meet people!
4. Be flexible. I came into Milwaukee convinced I was going to work hourly until I finished my dissertation. When this job was presented to me, it was brought to my attention by my very patient partner that jobs like this that fit my skill set so well do not appear often and that I should really apply, whether or not it was part of my plan. It was very difficult to think of life after my dissertation. I assume that it will be similar to being reborn, like a phoenix. Watch out for flames.
5. Keep in contact with friends and family. It will make you feel less isolated.
6. If you are not able to practice every day, just do the best you can. If you feel bad about it, see number 2.

Go out into the world and show everyone what you have to offer. It is much more than you think! Adulthood is both terrifying and liberating, so please embrace both.