You only live once: a reflection on my first semester at IU

The featured image is a photo of Emile Naoumoff’s piano class after the studio concert on December 10, 2019

Two years ago, I actively initiated a lifelong dream of studying in the US. Today, only a couple of days away from 2020, my first semester at Indiana University has successfully ended and I’m getting ready for the next semester. The full story on how I managed to get here, is already documented under the “US audition adventure” series. Today I would like to talk about the mindset that got me here and allowed me to experience wonderful things so far.

“You only live once”: regarding study and work

These days, we are extremely blessed with our western living circumstances. Previous generations have fought for the freedom to choose one’s studies, to pursue a dream job, to be financially independent. Yes, there is still room for improvement, but we should not forget to take advantage of all the opportunities we already have. To me, being able to pursue a career in music is a privilege and a passion. Creating and seizing the opportunity to do this in the US is my way of turning my gratitude into action. However, the path towards a goal is rarely straight. In those hard days, where one is challenged to overcome obstacles, to reinforce the belief in one’s own abilities, the “you only live once” sentence is a great help to get through it. Here are two examples as to how it helped me gain experience.

In my first semester at IU, my goal was to perform as much as I could and improve my musical hearing. In order to reach that, I performed 7 times in studio class with brand new repertoire. Sometimes, there was a lot of stage fright to overcome, other times I felt secure and confident. Having the opportunity to try out, to create positive and negative data, and analyze it afterwards in a learning environment was exactly what I needed in order to understand my personal restrictions when performing. Having the mindset of squeezing every ounce of opportunity, helped me in putting myself out there, especially after a lesser experience. 

The second goal, improving my musical ear, has two functions. On the one hand, it helps me contain the fear of forgetting the music. On the other hand, it makes me a better and more versatile musician. In agreement with my teacher, I decided to learn a new piece completely by ear. For now, the main method is simple trial and error, mixed with applied music theory. The next thing to do is to try and improvise on the spot without getting frustrated that I don’t play what I hear initially. It’s a long process, but it’s one I’m convinced I need to take in order to become the best musician I can be. 

I will start my second semester at IU with the knowledge that it is my last. I will perform 5 different recital programs, all in March and April, and I will have the opportunity to collaborate with a number of excellent musicians. It scares me, to know I have this much work ahead. It also makes me feel alive and fulfilled. There’s no better way to become a musician than to just do it. After all, you only live once, right?

“You only live once”: regarding friends and free time

Not that long ago, I used to be pretty shy. I was always focused and hard working, and not necessarily paying attention to events. Deciding to study in the US changed this radically. I’ve vastly improved stepping into a room full of people I don’t know and just start a conversation. Some days that still works out better than others, but it’s a long way from curling up in the sofa with a blanket and hot cocoa. I also pay more attention to events and try to go to as many as I can. So far, that has given me a foster family in Bloomington and a versatile group of friends, just by being friendly and doing things I love. And thanks to those wonderful people, I have seen some great places.
I had the opportunity to travel to Chicago, New Orleans, Houston and Los Angeles. I celebrated my first birthday without family with a roommate picnic, I spent my first Thanksgiving with friends in Houston, and I was invited to spend Christmas with a family in Los Angeles. I’m so grateful for all these people and experiences. Suddenly a six hour drive doesn’t seem that long, whether I used to feel like driving 40 minutes is too much. It’s absolutely incredible how your mindset can change your life.

If you feel like 2020 is going to be a gamechanger for you or if you want it to become so, remind yourself of that sentence. What is it you truly want to accomplish? What makes you feel most alive? Do you have the opportunity to do something outside of your daily routine? Seize it! Sometimes it will take a lot of energy and determination, but other times it can be a small thing that starts a snowball effect. All it takes is reminding yourself that you only live once. Here’s to a brand new decade: happy 2020!

In the Pacific Ocean in shorts on Christmas Day

Much love 

Nathalie