I don't remember the details of when I first started to play the piano, but I do remember my mom taking me to a church when I was five years old, for me to first start taking lessons with my teacher, Ms. Evelyn, a Scottish woman with red hair as fiery as her personality.

It wasn't always easy or fun. When I was first starting out, I didn't even have an actual piano, but a keyboard that didn't have all of the keys I would eventually need to use. It wasn't until a few years later that I got a "proper" piano, but was still able to make do in the meantime.

On top of that, I was supposed to practice for at least 20 minutes each day and have my lesson every week, and of course it was pretty obvious when I hadn't practiced properly. At first, it really did feel like a chore. With Ms. Evelyn, I also had guilds, where I had to memorize and play a certain amount of songs, as well as recitals where I would play songs I'd learned in front of everybody.

But in the end, if you're passionate about what you're learning, it really does pay off.

There are studies that show playing an instrument offers certain advantages. It's been shown to increase productivity, reduce stress, and overall build confidence.

Personally, playing the piano definitely helped me with my patience. Whether I was learning a song in a music book or learning how to play a song on my own time off off Youtube, patience and practice was key. I would have to repeat parts of a song over and over just to get it right. And it wasn't just about playing the right notes. It was also about having the right timing. But it still paid off in the end to hear it all come together.

Whenever I was performing in front of people, whether for recitals or for volunteering at a nursing home, I would definitely be nervous at first, but once I hit those first few notes, it would be easy to relax and let the music become a part of me.

I stopped piano lessons before I left for college, but I still took my keyboard with me. There's always something new I can learn, or five minutes of playing to just get my mind off of everything else and let go of all the worries I have, even just for five or ten minutes.

Ms. Evelyn has since passed away, but she left with me a love for playing the piano that will last throughout the years.