What’s it like being a music student during the pandemic? In a conversation with Dana Reckard
Hey, everyone, and welcome back today, we're taking a super quick detour to talk with Dana Record, and I'm really excited to talk with her today to explore a topic that I'm also really curious about personally. So, as we know, the global pandemic has really done a great job of twisting our daily routines and sense of normal, especially when it comes to University life and course structure, especially since every University is doing it differently
Dana Reckard
@dreckard · 0:59
Hey, Izzy, I'm Super glad to be here. Oh, man, that's a pandemic. Everything is different. I think the biggest change for my daily life as a Jacob student has got to be how I devised my of time. So in precova days, Jacob's schedules are very much based around our ability to practice and perform and rehearse as much as possible
Yeah. Dana, that sounds really like a struggle to kind of get used to. I guess my question, then is like, what has been the hardest part? Like, the hardest adjustment? Has it been like the change in the schedules? Has it been trying to figure out ways to do things safely and rehearse safely? What has been the hardest challenge for you as a student, as a Jacob student
Dana Reckard
@dreckard · 1:07
I think the hardest thing about this semester has been the lack of access to other students. And that goes in a variety of ways. So like the social aspect, you know, not being able to see your friends run into students and in the hallway, catch up, feel like you're part of this Big Jacob's bubble. And then from a performance standpoint, not playing with musicians for an extended period of time has impacts on my own musicianship
Yeah, that sounds really challenging, especially since you're going to have to make up for that lost time later on. As you said, I'm curious in that kind of regard. Do you think that IU is doing the right thing and how they're structured student life and how they're implementing these COVID-19 restrictions? Are they too harsh? Are they not harsh enough or strict enough? What do you think you could be doing better
Dana Reckard
@dreckard · 1:24
And so those students don't have the same opportunities to perform. My studio has been doing outside lessons as a way to still have some sense of connection. And going into next semester, I think there is that something that I would like to see more Studios do because it's been such a tremendous highlight to the semester to be able to physically see my professor and for him to hear me not through a Zoom mic and then through another computer
I really like how you acknowledge that there are some inequalities with the COVID-19 restrictions in regards to different students experiences and accessibility, especially with the professors as well. And I'm curious, what your thoughts thoughts are on how music students are experiencing the pandemic and the inequality surrounding that
Dana Reckard
@dreckard · 3:46
Yeah, for sure. And we're seeing across the whole University spectrum student life struggling with that very question because it is very clear that the experience that we are having this semester is not worth the only out of state tuition that we are paying for it. And if you're paying full price, you really want to be spending $50. And hopefully if you wait a year, it could be better. It could be somewhat more normal
Thank you, Dana, for sharing that. I mean, this is definitely a really hard time to be a student, especially a music student. And this is my last question that I have for you that I'm curious about in this regard is in dealing with all of these difficulties that you mentioned. What are some of the ways that you practice self care during this time
Dana Reckard
@dreckard · 1:41
We're still on this Earth. And even if this isn't the best year, we still have opportunities to make that date. Good man. Thank you so much, Izzy, for asking me to help out with your podcast. I really enjoyed talking to you guys. And best of luck during the weirdest period of our lives. All right, take care. Bye
Swell Team
@Swell · 0:15
phil spade
@Phil · 4:01
And I think all these universities have shown that they're not going to do that at all to the point where it makes me question, are you guys really universities or are you just large hedge funds that happen to run classes? I'll put everything aside, but I really don't like that. You have to be put in that situation