STEM Or Arts? Why Not Both?

A common question I get from my peers in the STEM fields is why I chose to pursue a career in music on top of my career as an engineer. I used to struggle to answer this question, but as my experience making music grew, I began to realize what I truly believed motivated me.

From an economic point of view, the decision to pursue both a STEM career and a music career simultaneously is the most logical way to live. The STEM career offers stability thanks to the status quo of our world, allowing me to fund my music career as more of a hobby. But doing the STEM career takes time away from the pastime that I enjoy far more, music. I've experienced this first hand during my time at USC where I've spent four years envying my peers who decided to major in music as a I suffer through challenging courses on topics that I don't care too much about. However, I was not satisfied that this economic argument was the only reason why I chose to do both.

Art, as a medium, provides a direct line of communication between the artist and the patron. This makes art a much more personal experience. The satisfaction I get from people that enjoy my music is unmatched. In short, I love making music that people enjoy, and seeing people enjoy my music brings me great happiness. However, as an engineer, you are confronted with responsibilities far greater than what you can get as a musician. The work you do as an engineer can tangibly improve the lives of millions of people every day. And I think that kind of work has great merit as well.

For these reasons, I seek satisfaction in both lines of work I have chosen for myself. As an engineer I hope to improve peoples lives by upholding strong ethical engineering values. As a musician, I seek to make music that people can enjoy and help people develop their identity through. Both are necessary to my idea of a fulfilling life. So, I will pursue both of them with as much vigor as I can muster.