The first instrument I played was a piano, I don’t remember what age probably nine or ten. I saw a keyboard at my godmother’s house and watched her play, I was fascinated by it. I really loved the way it sounded, the next day I told my mom that I want a keyboard and she got it for me the next week. The school I was attending at the time didn’t offer music classes so I learned by myself. I looked up keyboard tutorials on youtube, I watched and followed along, I learned many songs from memory first song I learned was Fur Elise, my mom was happy and proud. I liked the keyboard it’s an amazing instrument but it just wasn’t it to me as time went on. Once I got to middle school I was in band class, the instrument I picked was the clarinet, the clarinet is a woodwind instrument much different than the keyboard. However, with this instrument, I actually learned the notes and chords first hand which was a better experience for me. He worked with everybody, gave tips on how to switch from chord to chord, when we had questions or troubles it was an easy fix. The clarinet was more difficult because its a woodwind instrument for instance when you play you to blow a certain way it will make a bad sound if you don’t blow right.  I got good grades in that class, we even performed on stage for my school but as a group no solos. While playing the clarinet I even started to learn the harmonica but that didn’t last long, my apartment is surrounded by instruments. My mom is a creative person and surrounded herself with creativity. I could say this affected why I would switch instruments because I had a lot of options and why I never stopped playing something.

Although the clarinet was an amazing instrument as well I didn’t keep playing it I wasn’t that into it, only in the beginning. Before I went to high school we had orientation, during orientation we did many exercises with the other students, in one of the exercises we did was learn some chords on the guitar that made a song. Through this exercise, we got some experience with the guitar to see if we wanted to take the class. I had a guitar at home all my life but never played it so I thought might as well take this as an elective. Once school started we started off with some basic chords, I caught on pretty quick the guitar is actually easy to learn, I did my own independent research so I can have some more practice, I liked playing the guitar it was something fun for me. I did well in this class too, my teacher said we can take the class again next year, so I continued taking that class for three years straight so I can learn everything hand-on instead of self-learning. I learn more chords different songs, different styles of playing like fingerpicking. I was committed and focused, I can see my progress from freshman year to junior year. I used to play slow, have to keep looking at my hands as I play, and couldn’t keep up for that long. Now I can play fast, for longer and even with my eyes closed. I played this instrument for years without getting bored or uninterested, I felt this was my instrument. I played songs for my mom and my family, they all knew could tell this was for me, my dad even surprised me with an electric guitar for Valentine’s day. 

Basically, throughout my whole school career, I played a different instrument, all of them very beautiful and amazing but just not the ones for me.  Until I met the guitar I found “the one” you could say. The guitar was the one instrument I stuck with and still love to this day. Playing the guitar is more like a hobby for me, I don’t see myself being able to make good money with it.

 I played a couple of instruments to find the instrument that was for me and more my comfort zone. I had to explore this field and try different instruments. College, for instance, I never really wanted to go to college I knew about college my whole life since young however I was always told I don’t need to go to college to be successful. My whole family always told me that but not in a bad way, they let it be known that it’s something that can be very helpful when wanting to pursue a career. I never really wanted to go to college or grew up wanting to be something like a doctor. Once the time came I decided that college is the best route for me right now, I decided to invest in myself and my future. This is me exploring a field in which I can try many different things and so far I like it. Right now my major is architecture, still not sure if this is for me but so far I like it and something I can see myself in 10 years of being happy with this career, and this why I choose this major. Being happy with your work makes work not even feel like work. I never drew seriously and never could really draw, but my drawings are coming out decent, better than expected. I won’t subject one expectation to a field, if this ends up not being for me I have other options whether it’s related or not. And if college ends up not being for me it’s okay because I can still do or be something great without it like my family always told me. The sky’s the limit.

Here’s one of the first songs I learned on the guitar. Easy to learn.

Here’s the link to my draft

https://openlab.citytech.cuny.edu/arch-eng-fylc-f20/2020/10/02/861/