Quarter life crisis or something

So I'm writing my thesis now, and if all goes well I will be graduated after this. I will have to be looking for some sort of 'serious business' job with most likely a lot of responsibility soon. But I have the feeling I will never have time to make music again. Right now even I'm too stressed out to make any music, though I want to get back to it. Reconnect the hardware and escape into my own magical music worlds with tape hiss and everything, everything else seems so pointless sometimes.

 

I'm sort of entertaining the idea that a simple mindless dayjob without too much stress would be better so I have time to make music. I'd have a lot less stress that way too. It would be a cop out, maybe. But I believe I can still make some cool music if I just could let go some of the stress in my head and have some more free time. This is probably a stupid idea.

 

I don't know, I'm probably just whining and this is of course a first world problem. But I'm wondering if anyone else is sort of in the same situation or if there's anyone that could give some advice. Thanks.

 

 

Why do you think you won't have any free time and will be constantly stressed out after you've graduated?

if you're not planning to become a zillionaire and indulge in ethical reproduction then it looks like you got it all figured out already as you don't need a huge income to support your hobby (especially within euro-welfare state i bet) and you'll have your master's to rely on as a backup plan if you change your mind (though you could be wasting years in not gaining experience in your field as this laidback music making lifestyle with a simple mindless job goes on).

i'm also in my final year for master's and thesis but i really am interested in research and will probably continue on to phd after a short break.

Edited October 6, 2014 by eugene

  On 10/6/2014 at 1:41 AM, th555 said:

Why do you think you won't have any free time and will be constantly stressed out after you've graduated?

Thanks for the reply. Because I've studied law, and I'm sometimes worried I won't like working in that area. When I graduated high school I wanted to study art related things, but there weren't really any good studies out there in my opinion and I was worried about never getting a job that way.

 

Now I'm worried that I will be working myself towards a burnout sometimes.

  On 10/6/2014 at 1:43 AM, eugene said:

if you're not planning to become a zillionaire and indulge in ethical reproduction then it looks like you got it all figured out already as you don't need a huge income to support your hobby (especially within euro-welfare state i bet) and you'll have your master's to rely on as a backup plan if you change your mind (though you could be wasting years in not gaining experience in your field as this laidback music making lifestyle with a simple mindless job goes on).

i'm also in my final year for master's and thesis but i really am interested in research and will probably continue on to phd after a short break.

Yeah good point. Yes, the wasting years bit could be problematic though. But it does sound like a good life sometimes.

 

 

Good to hear you're probably going for phd btw.

  On 10/6/2014 at 1:24 AM, Berk said:

So I'm writing my thesis now, and if all goes well I will be graduated after this. I will have to be looking for some sort of 'serious business' job with most likely a lot of responsibility soon. But I have the feeling I will never have time to make music again. Right now even I'm too stressed out to make any music, though I want to get back to it. Reconnect the hardware and escape into my own magical music worlds with tape hiss and everything, everything else seems so pointless sometimes.

 

I'm sort of entertaining the idea that a simple mindless dayjob without too much stress would be better so I have time to make music. I'd have a lot less stress that way too. It would be a cop out, maybe. But I believe I can still make some cool music if I just could let go some of the stress in my head and have some more free time. This is probably a stupid idea.

 

I don't know, I'm probably just whining and this is of course a first world problem. But I'm wondering if anyone else is sort of in the same situation or if there's anyone that could give some advice. Thanks.

 

 

 

 

how do you know that it's not your half life crisis.

 

I feel like I am in a somewhat similar situation. My job is really stressful and takes a ton of time, but after the first couple months I learned how to cope. In what little time I have to myself I am just as musically productive as ever.

legend sergeantk. good pep talk.

  On 10/6/2014 at 1:56 AM, sergeantk said:

I feel like I am in a somewhat similar situation. My job is really stressful and takes a ton of time, but after the first couple months I learned how to cope. In what little time I have to myself I am just as musically productive as ever.

Yeah I figured it could also work out like that.

 

But I also have the feeling that I won't be able to stop worrying about the responsibilities when I get home from work. It's not so much the amount of time I will be spending working as the amount of stress it will bring that I'm worried about

 

but like delet... says good pep talk

 

 

lol sorry for the amount of the word 'stress' in the OP

Edited October 6, 2014 by Berk

  On 10/6/2014 at 1:45 AM, Berk said:

 

  On 10/6/2014 at 1:41 AM, th555 said:

Why do you think you won't have any free time and will be constantly stressed out after you've graduated?

Thanks for the reply. Because I've studied law, and I'm sometimes worried I won't like working in that area. When I graduated high school I wanted to study art related things, but there weren't really any good studies out there in my opinion and I was worried about never getting a job that way.

 

Now I'm worried that I will be working myself towards a burnout sometimes.

 

 

Fuck. Really, I'll never let my kids study Law, I found it boring as hell (not offending you, but really fuck, what were you thinking)

 

It's never too late to change, though. I know some dudes that studied chemistry but most of their time they are making music or live visuals, also some dudes who studied oceanography and at the end he became one of the most acclaimed digital artists worldwide. Really, fuck law and all that shit, but well you still can change your lifestyle but it might be difficult.

  On 10/6/2014 at 2:04 AM, logakght said:

 

  On 10/6/2014 at 1:45 AM, Berk said:

 

  On 10/6/2014 at 1:41 AM, th555 said:

Why do you think you won't have any free time and will be constantly stressed out after you've graduated?

Thanks for the reply. Because I've studied law, and I'm sometimes worried I won't like working in that area. When I graduated high school I wanted to study art related things, but there weren't really any good studies out there in my opinion and I was worried about never getting a job that way.

 

Now I'm worried that I will be working myself towards a burnout sometimes.

 

 

Fuck. Really, I'll never let my kids study Law, I found it boring as hell (not offending you, but really fuck, what were you thinking)

 

It's never too late to change, though. I know some dudes that studied chemistry but most of their time they are making music or live visuals, also some dudes who studied oceanography and at the end he became one of the most acclaimed digital artists worldwide. Really, fuck law and all that shit, but well you still can change your lifestyle but it might be difficult.

 

Haha I know

 

well it's not that boring I guess, but I'm not sure if working in the field would suit me. I like working with people, but on the other hand I like simple tasks that I can finish easily so I don't have to worry about complex things people are struggling with and I frankly don;t care about in the end.

 

you know - I'm at this old story of the house in the middle of nature, being all self-sufficient right now

lol people and their plans

 

won't be able to plan for most of the stuff that's going to happen in your life anyway, don't dwell too much on it

 

if you really want a career that should be your top priority, but a simple day job is the tits

 

if you really are passionate about your creativity, you learn to make time with what you got

Edited October 6, 2014 by chim

live to work or work to live...

  On 10/6/2014 at 2:56 AM, chim said:

 

if you really want a career that should be your top priority, but a simple day job is the tits

the word "career" is loaded.

Yeah chartreuse I will all give it some more thought

 

Chim - gotta have some plans though.

 

I'm not sure if I'm that passionate I just like making music a lot. I know the whole "true artists make art because they absolutely have to" thing, but it's not that black and white imo

Just do what you do man. Don't worry about things or overthink things too much.

 

Be you and that's bout' it!

 

The chips will fall as they will, lots of things you won't have control over.....

when i was your age i thought i had a passion for scientific research. after undergrad i moved away from my friends and family to go to the best school in the world for that sort of thing ('course, depends on who you talk to). after about three years, i realized i missed my friends and family. i was stuck there for another 3 years.

 

and while most of my friends started to build adult careers and lives, i was stuck in the lab, pursuing ends i was beginning to and now almost completely, find empty. when i finally got my degree, i felt like i had no other option but to continue in academic research, so that's where i still i am. it sucks because the pay is really low (we're supposed to do it because we JUST LOVE science and want to save people-- i mean, i do want to save people but I would like enough money to afford a decent apt).

 

my advice is to build in as much flexibility as you can. don't take a job that sucks but might be good if you stay there for a long time. don't buy a home. don't settle with one person. i changed a lot from 22 to 28 and while i couldn't have anticipated those changes, i should have built in some more flexibility.

 

(it's not ssooo bad for me, i have to say. i have a wonderful partner and a beautiful baby. but professionally, i'm kinda effed).

Edited October 6, 2014 by coolandfrank

Studied law? Know who studied law as well?

 

 

 

  On 10/6/2014 at 1:24 AM, Berk said:

So I'm writing my thesis now, and if all goes well I will be graduated after this. I will have to be looking for some sort of 'serious business' job with most likely a lot of responsibility soon. But I have the feeling I will never have time to make music again. Right now even I'm too stressed out to make any music, though I want to get back to it. Reconnect the hardware and escape into my own magical music worlds with tape hiss and everything, everything else seems so pointless sometimes.

 

I'm sort of entertaining the idea that a simple mindless dayjob without too much stress would be better so I have time to make music. I'd have a lot less stress that way too. It would be a cop out, maybe. But I believe I can still make some cool music if I just could let go some of the stress in my head and have some more free time. This is probably a stupid idea.

 

I don't know, I'm probably just whining and this is of course a first world problem. But I'm wondering if anyone else is sort of in the same situation or if there's anyone that could give some advice. Thanks.

 

 

 

 

I'm in a similar situation made worse by the fact that my job pays really well and offers me no spiritual and intellectual stimulation. Coupled with the fact that it is challenging for me to focus on exacerbates the issue. My advice would be to create a plan of action and stick to it. If you WANT to be able to work in your field and make music you can, but you have to plan it and stick to it. As you get more involved in your career and your life becomes exponentially complicated planning and scheduling become a huge necessity. That being said, if one were inclined there isn't really a good reason that they couldn't do both. Although I would agree it is easier to work a low effort job and focus on your music solely, but that is sort of an all-in method which is fine if that is what you want. But it also brings with it its own struggles. Income affords you opportunity, flexibility, and infrastructure that will be a struggle working a shit job. Just do your best to identify what you really want and need, and use your current situation the best way possible to benefit you. If you aspire to be a professional musician then you're going to have to work double hard to do it if you have a career already. I think a good inspirational book for this moment of your life is "Walden" by Henry David Thoreau.

 

 

I'd also like to add something. You have to create the life that is going to make you happy if you desire to be happy during your life. You don't have any choice in the matter. Your soul will always beckon you to be your true self, and these elements that make up your identity become more apparent as you get older. There is no good way to settle for something other than yourself, and you will regret it if you attempt to, because the voice will keep calling you.

Edited October 6, 2014 by AdieuErsatzEnnui

Just so you know it, mindless jobs kill your creativity.

 

I'll tell you more about this during my lunchbreak.

  On 10/6/2014 at 8:06 AM, Squee said:

Just so you know it, mindless jobs kill your creativity.

Ugh, too close to home..

  On 10/6/2014 at 8:06 AM, Squee said:

Just so you know it, mindless jobs kill your creativity.

 

I'll tell you more about this during my lunchbreak.

I practise guitar during my lunch break, I can't disagree with you though. The oppressive atmosphere engendered by the mindless schlubs I work with, people that don't care to mentally improvise on anything or have any sense of empathy for their fellow man and actively demean anyone that doesn't conform to these soul crushing criteria, this does tend to put a dent in the relaxed fluidity of thought required to achieve a basic level of everyday creativity.

 

-sie-

If the music is in you, it should never leave. Whether you put your music down into some "tangible or replayable" form, that's a different matter altogether. I've been working freelance and basically have had a "free schedule" for the past 7 years, but my most productive music years- ironically- were when I was working for da man, possibly because I perceived that I "didn't have time". That, and working a shit job that one does not care about, does tend to make one strive towards some sort of ideal of happiness; will permitting.

 

I've found that to really "get shit down"- whether it be music or painting or your breakdancing skillz- some sort of "dream" is necessary. The ultimate IDM Dream fueled my music for over a decade straight, and without it, I doubt that I'd ever have been able to put in the countless hours into music. Dreams far in the distance are the only way to motivate one to become ULTRA. Because really, anyone who's pretty good at art creation and enjoys it, given time, they will just sit in front of their creation station and output with no problem. The issue is with making time to sit in one's creation station and startup engines to full-blast.

 

Anyway, point being-- art creation is always about MAKING time. The illusion is that we "only" have 24 hours in a day, but if we all accounted for every minute of our day, it'd become apparent just how much time is wasted doing absolutely nothing productive.

Life is always a crisis Berk - you need to decide what you want

  On 10/6/2014 at 8:06 AM, Squee said:

Just so you know it, mindless jobs kill your creativity.

 

I'll tell you more about this during my lunchbreak.

 

this, why do you think i'm on here so much right now? my brain is melting ffs