<p>I'm a sophomore, and I've been playing the piano for approximately 7 years (not counting 2 years of break in between). I really love listening to and playing music. For about a year now, I've been debating whether I should learn the cello while continuing my piano lessons (basically as a second instrument). </p>
<p>On one hand, I really enjoy listening to the cello, and playing it has been my dream for a while. I think learning to play it would possibly help me in music theory (something with which I've only been recently acquainted), as I think I can combine what I will learn from the cello with what I am currently learning from the piano. </p>
<p>But on the another hand, I've been trying to balance family problems, homework, school clubs, and outside extracurriculars (including piano), all of which are so taxing on me and leave me with little time for breaks. Adding one more thing to manage would probably mean less time sleeping and less effort put into my main focuses (like GPA). I don't want to put even more pressure and stress on my parents by having to pay for a new instrument and additional lessons, which can be very costly. I also worry if learning the cello will provide any purpose for me besides enjoyment and possible supplement for learning music theory. Would colleges even care if I played the cello, or would they think that I did so to look good on college applications? Is it too late and too much of an effort to begin learning a new instrument? Thoughts?</p>