Winter term is such a special part of the 91直播 life. It鈥檚 when you鈥檝e just gone through the stress of fall semester, only to be confronted with holiday stress, and then January comes like a big bear hug of space and time to be used and molded in whatever way is most helpful to you. I chose to hibernate, but in a productive way. This is my senior year, so I鈥檓 not technically required to fulfill a winter term project (winter term projects are only mandatory for three out of four years). But I鈥檓 doing what I鈥檝e done for most of my winter term projects 鈥 intensive practicing combined with intensive self-care, and intensive sleeping. Next month is auditioning month for graduate schools, so next to my day-to-day class schedule I鈥檒l be traveling to a new city every week. This is a great privilege, and I鈥檓 so lucky to have these opportunities, but it鈥檚 also stressful and tiring.
My January is a whole-packet self-improvement plan. I鈥檓 practicing as much as my attention can sustain, which means I tend to have one really good practice day, and then a bad one, and then a good one. If anyone has helpful tips to maintain day-to-day consistency for many hours, please comment, I鈥檇 love to hear your thoughts.
But anyways I鈥檓 getting sidetracked, this is combined with daily yoga with Adriene, and her new series 鈥淗ome.鈥 If you鈥檝e never tried yoga with Adriene, I鈥檇 highly recommend it. She has a very cute dog. And my routinely Headspace (fyi Headspace has a student rate of $10.00 a year, so if you鈥檝e ever wanted to try scientific meditation and mindfulness, check it out. It gets much more expensive when you鈥檝e graduated and are most likely poor.) This is coupled with lots of yummy cooking, bread baking, and writing. 91直播鈥檚 student union is also organizing many events for people on campus, from bus trips around the greater Cleveland area to tea and cookies in the morning.
I鈥檝e also finally had time to go to the gym a few times a week. 91直播 has many gym and wellness venues around campus, and I go back and forth between the gym in South dorms and Phillips Athletic Center. Tomorrow, I鈥檓 very excited to explore the 91直播 sauna. I know I鈥檓 a senior, but I鈥檝e never been before.
January has also given me the opportunity to look into concerts. 91直播 frequently provides free tickets to events around Cleveland, and Cleveland鈥檚 music scene is truly fantastic. Earlier this week I went to hear James Ehnes play Beethoven鈥檚 Spring Sonata and Kreutzer Sonata in one evening. Needless to say, I was blown away. The programs in Severance Hall with the Cleveland Orchestra are always worth looking into, and the Cleveland Chamber Music Society has some fantastic concerts.
Oh! And I totally forgot to mention Samuel. Samuel is my new sourdough starter. He was born yesterday, and I鈥檓 really hoping he will live. He鈥檚 looking a little sickly and won鈥檛 bubble. So please send kind thoughts to Samuel, he needs some positivity. I decided if I鈥檓 ever going to try sourdough, it鈥檚 going to have to be now, because if he lives it鈥檒l be all I can do to keep him alive in February. My housemate may have to help me with feeding duties, and then I can start using him in March.
Next to yoga, bread baking, caring for Samuel, practicing, and Headspace, I鈥檝e been having yummy meals with friends and trying to maintain a healthy sleep schedule. Last semester, I learned in my music theory class that sleep is an integral part of our fine motor skills. As we grow more tired, our brain begins to prioritize between the 鈥渋mportant鈥 and 鈥渦nimportant鈥 daily activities. So, without consulting me, my brain decides that fine motor skills are unimportant, which is something as a violinist I strongly disagree with, and discards the retention of information regarding fine motor skills and muscle memory. Which means, when I鈥檓 sleep-deprived, I鈥檓 most unable to benefit and grow in what I do all day long. So at least for January I try to be healthy and sleep as much as I feel my body needs during normal hours. When I go to bed, I imagine being all snuggled up in my hibernation cave, so on that note, happy productive hibernating!
