Dinosaurs vs. Diatonic Scales: An Epic Battle by Emily

Dinosaurs vs. Diatonic Scales: An Epic Battle by Emily - June 2017 Scholarship Essay

"What do you want to be when you grow up, class?" my teacher would ask. Among the many other answers of vet, firefighter, teacher, police man, and astronaut, I was always the odd student out as I answered with "paleontologist." 6-year-old me was VERY into dinosaurs. I was that kid who had all the dinosaur books, games, dig sets, and clothing items. I knew their names, sizes, food preferences, and locations.

Although I still enjoy learning about dinosaurs, I no longer want to be a paleontologist. I have actually changed my career path entirely turning to the arts rather than science. I want to be a music teacher. Although music and paleontology have seemingly no connection, my childhood obsession with studying and learning about dinosaurs has affected the way I pursue my career today. This change has been a process as I didn't suddenly wake up one day and say "you know what? I think I want to be a music teacher."

In 6th grade, I was questioning life as every middle school student does and I started looking into what a paleontologist actually does. I was really not into digging for hours on end in the middle of a desert so I knocked that childhood dream aside and grabbed onto a new goal - science teacher. This was the point where I decided that I was a teacher type. I really like learning as well as instructing and teaching. All through middle school, I excelled in all my classes as I studied hard just as I had studied those dinosaur books as a 6-year-old.

Also in middle school, a new contestant entered the ring - music. It was here that I discovered the alto saxophone and my ability to sing well. I made this my hobby as I practiced here and there and performed at school and at church. I enjoyed this so much that by the time I reached freshman year, I was conflicted between science and music. I joined the Science Olympiad team where I competed in the fossils, cell biology, and dynamic planet as I attempted to keep my hold on my paleontology past and pursue my new science teacher goal. I also continued my music as I played in many ensembles, sang with the chorus, sang many solos, and participated in the musical theater program. I would go to Science Olympiad meetings and cut out early to go to musical rehearsals. I would miss rehearsals for Science Olympiad competitions. I felt like I was caught in the middle of a boxing ring as one subject tried to win out over the other. By the end of sophomore year I had decided that music would win out over science.

Now as I finish out my high school career as a prospective music education major, I look back to 6-year-old me digging out a miniature cast of a stegosaurus from a block of plaster and I thank her. I thank 6-year-old me for giving me a motivation to study and work for the things I want as well as try new things. It's this same motivation and passion that I now use to pour myself into starring in the musical, singing solos at chorus concerts, and belting the Star Spangled Banner at basketball games. I'm glad that music has won over paleontology but I will never forget about my love of dinosaurs.