High-Energy Nonsense and Reflection

This post is a little more emotional than any of my other blogs.

As I finish this semester, the last bits of coursework of my Master's degree stretching out before me, I've got a lot of feelings going around. Putting it frankly, 2019 and 2020 have been ridiculous years. My dad was suffering all of Spring 2019 and died last April, and this March we saw the beginning of the US wave of a global pandemic. I know we all have our struggles and face hardships, but sometimes I don't know how I've been able to do it. I'm just glad that I have. I was diagnosed with depression in 2014, and correctly diagnosed with bipolar disorder type 2 sometime in 2016. Getting my undergrad and first grad degrees have without a doubt been the toughest years of my life, and it's hard not to reflect on all that as this degree is coming to a close.

I've learned a lot about being a musician, being a decent human, and just kind of life over the past 5 years at Iowa. It's been hard, but I am proud to say I've gotten a lot out of it.

I know the only way I've been able to do it is with the support of a massive network of fantastic people I've met over the years. Thanks to everyone who's been here for me for any moment of all of this.

Without any DMA or Performance Certificate program in front of me this fall, I've got (at least) a year to figure out what I want to do with myself and my career. I've got a lot of different ideas, but none of them have taken root just yet. I'm sure they will soon, but we've got to see for sure when they do.