<p>Recently, a friend of mine was considering to quit the band. She told me that when she told her teacher that she was quitting, the teacher was surprised and persuaded her to keep at it, telling her that she was one of the best, if not, the best sophomore band member. She really is good at the clarinet, but she said she wanted to make room for other activities she loves more (sports), even though she is not as talented in them. She could really use some help. What should I tell her?</p>
<p>That’s the exact opposite of me! I was #1 seed on the varsity tennis team my sophomore year , but I quit because I just did not enjoy it at all. My coach and teammates didn’t understand at all, and my coach is still quite upset with me (I’m now a senior). I also quit track (#2 400m runner) This year I’m doing marching band and band (clarinet, what a coincidence haha) even though I’m not nearly as good as I am at sports.</p>
<p>I’ll make her a deal…I give her my sports skills if she gives me her clarinet skills! Haha.</p>
<p>But really, there’s no point in doing something just because you’re good at it, especially if you’re not enjoying it or can enjoy something else more. The reason she’s probably not as good at sports is that she hasn’t spent as much time on them, and if she practices hard, she’ll become better.</p>
<p>She should do what she wants to do.</p>
<p>I grew up playing soccer, but I last year I decided to join the basketball team rather than the soccer team. I had a ton of fun experiencing something different, and I think my basketball skills have now surpassed my soccer skills.</p>
<p>I agree that she should do what she wants to do. What’s the point of being best in an activity that she hates? Staying in the band could keep her from involvement in activities that she loves and also has the potential to be best at. For all she knows, with more time to practice, she may end up excelling in sports. Practice makes perfect.</p>
<p>I guess this is all fine, but quite frankly, being very talented at the clarinet is a gift that is not to be underestimated. I don’t just mean in terms of college admissions. If she really is terrific at it, I would ask her to reflect hard on what it is she enjoys about doing something else more than this. Sometimes, it is very possible for an individual to just get sick of practicing one thing over and over again, and the individual actually may love this thing more in her heart of hearts, and not realize it. Many things appear attractive just because they’re new. </p>
<p>I’ve had these phases where I would consider spending a bunch of time studying physics, because you know, I just never learned much of it, and it is definitely something I would enjoy a lot. At times, the physics would appear more entertaining than math. But when I give math a rest for a few days, and consider not studying as much of it in favor of doing something else, I realize that I was just crying for variety, and didn’t really want to spend that much time on something else. I wouldn’t do something as extreme as quitting clarinet when very good at it unless a lot of reflection has been done. </p>
<p>Practice sustained by a spark of enthusiasm and talent that lasts through long periods of time, makes perfect. </p>
<p>If, upon reflection, she really finds that she has been given a talent that she doesn’t want to work on in a formal setting like a band, I’d at least encourage her to carry it on in her spare time. It is a mistake in my opinion to let a talent remain underdeveloped, because very likely clarinet will be something she can keep herself going with when she is older.</p>
<p>^I’d recommend her to take some time off (like a month or two or three). This will be a good opportunity to find out if she just wants to do something else for variety (as mathboy said) or if she truly dislikes band. Sometimes I just got so tired of golf (especially near the end of the season- which is more like 6-7 months due to individual tournaments), to the point where I wanted to quit, but come every spring, I could not wait to get out on the course.</p>
<p>This is a tough question, and I tend to agree with mathboy’s analysis. This girl may have a <em>gift</em> for the clarinet, which would really be a shame to waste. If she truly finds playing the clarinet unbearable, then of course she should quit.</p>
<p>However, based on my experience as the mother of 2 Ds who were gifted in different ECs (one is now at Harvard, the other will be at Yale, both as a result of their “gifts”), I saw them go through phases of boredom and frustration, along with verbal threats to quit, at some points in their EC careers. They stuck with them, however (to my relief), with a lot of support from their dad and me, and ultimately now cannot imagine living without their particular ECs in their lives, because they truly excel in them and derive so much satisfaction from their accomplishments and recognition because of it.</p>
<p>I agree with mathboy’s analysis.</p>
<p>However, a little time off can be beneficial as well. I played violin growing up and loved it most of the time, but as I neared high school I started getting tired of it. I was frustrated I couldn’t played as well as I wanted to, the thrill of learning something new had worn off, practicing was a burden, and so on. I quit. About a year later, my interest in classical music rekindled. I was asked to play at a couple events, and after taking my instrument out of its case for the first time in a year I discovered that I did indeed love playing the violin. I started taking lessons again and I think I practice much more now than I would have if I had just tried to plough through that time when I wasn’t enjoying it. Playing the violin had become my decision, not something I did just because I started up at a young age and felt guilty about quitting it.</p>
<p>But yes, I do think she should be very reluctant to give up clarinet completely. I like GammaGrozza’s advice – take a couple months off and reevaluate. Even if she quits band, she should still practice privately in case she ever wants to take it up again.</p>
<p>If she chooses to give up clarinet now that doesn’t mean she will never play it again. After 12 years of piano lessons, the last few years of which I was forced to do by my mother, I quit piano after high school. Decades later, I took it up again and for a few years --until I injured my fingers in a sports accident – I enjoyed it greatly.</p>
<p>I don’t see any reason for the OP’s friend to continue clarinet just because she’s best in her school at it. Being best in her school at it doesn’t mean that she has some kind of major talent for the instrument. Lots of what people consider talent has to do with people choosing to practice a lot. Check Malcolm Gladwell’s book “Outiers” to read about the 10,000 hours of practice theory related to talent.</p>
<p>If she quits clarinet now, she may find that there are activiites that she has far more talent for and that she enjoys more.</p>
<p>I think it might be her strategy to save her weighted gpa in the junior year. Band is not a H/AP course, it will lower her W.GPA even if she gets an A in band class. She may go back to band in the Senior year. I don’t think she will totally give up clarinet anyway.
Sport won’t impact gpa at all, if she was doing well at V team, it’s very good for her college appl.</p>
<p>Friend should give up band and play sports. High school is the time to experience what interest your friend. Just because she is not as talented in her sport as the clarinet doesn’t mean she shouldn’t try out for the team. If she misses band she can go back. She will have enough to do soon with college apps so she should enjoy herself doing what activities she wishes.</p>