I'm a Music Therapist

They say that “time flies when you’re having fun”, but after the last three months of my life I’m petitioning to change that saying to “time flies when you’re starting grad school”. This is not to say that moving across the country, taking on a new job, and jumping into classes full-time hasn’t been enjoyable, but it’s taken a lot to ensure I don’t sink. The last six months have been filled with transitions. I quit my job in June to take time off to return home and travel, pursue to my growing interest in music cognition, and gear up for my Master’s degree in music therapy. The constant theme of this stage of my life is unquestionably that of change.

Change, while stressful, has brought an unexpected gift: a deeper relationship with music (again). In the two and a half years of working full-time as a music therapist, music was more of a tool and necessity for my daily bread than gratifying. Although I’m only in my mid-twenties, a small “reminiscence bump” emerged in the music I consumed. For those that haven’t run across the term, the reminiscence bump is a tendency for adults to best recollect or return to events of their adolescence and early adulthood. This trend is part of the reason why music from these life stages is most salient and evocative for older adults with memory loss.

My music listening habits took on a pattern: discovering new music did not come as naturally to me and I kept going back to the artists and pieces I listened to in high school/college. Going to work everyday was predictable and I started to get worried that my music preferences were getting stale as well. My music tastes felt static.

My taste for new music starting re-awakening when I traveled solo for the first time this past summer. I was making my way through Europe over three weeks and though I wasn’t homesick, I was seeking comfort. Leaving behind the daily routine of the past three years and knowingly headed toward an academic horizon, I craved music again. With long train rides and an excuse to avoid talking to people while abroad, I finally had the time and need to rediscover music. It could have been the free time or clear mental space, but more than anything I needed an outlet to process all the changes collecting in my life.

While I’m continually adjusting to new developments as I finish up my first semester of grad school, I’m grateful that music has continued to provide me with balance. While the music I’ve been drifting toward the last few months may not be groundbreaking, it’s given me perspective on myself and my circumstances. Though I may not always have time to keep up everything (and in grad school, who does?), it’s reassuring to know that music is always there. It just ebbs and flows.

If you’re interested in what I’ve been listening to lately, check out the playlist below.