Music Notes Shaped Who I Am by Emma

Music Notes Shaped Who I Am by Emma - June 2018 Scholarship Essay

An elective I took in high school was music. It was not a required course, rather, it was something I did out of pure pleasure. I've been playing violin since the fifth grade. I am now nineteen years old, and I still play violin. One thing I never understood in high school was gym class. Why do students have to take gym class, but are not required to take a music or an art class? I'm not an athletic person by all means, and it was rather embarrassing to have to take gym.
Music has shaped who I am. It should be a mandatory elective because students do not know about the culture of music. I would get made fun of for playing the violin, being called the stereotypical "band geek." I knew if everyone took a music course, they would understand why I found so much satisfaction with notes on a page. There is no language to understand music; it is just black and white dots on a page. Music provides a calming sensation. It is hard to describe because everyone feels differently about music. Being able to play and make music is one of the greatest things life has given to me. There is no "good" or "bad" musician. Unlike gym class, anyone can take a music class and feel comfortable. By being required to take gym, I always felt like I was not good enough. I felt judged by my peers because my athletic abilities were sub-par. Being required to take a music course will open the eyes of people that do not understand the pure pleasure of music. I do not know where I would be today if it wasn't for music.