While most of my friends in high school were members of one specific clique, I was the mutt of all social interactions. Not only was I a member of my high school’s chamber choir and acapella group, I was also co-captain of the Varsity Soccer and Softball team. I was a rare species in the outback of secondary education, a hybrid that I like to call a Musathlete (musician + athlete). While in theory, this Musathlete combination seems like it could only be positive as college admission counselors drool over people who are involved in a diverse array of extracurriculars, this article might as well have the alternate title of “Why Being Well-Rounded Sucks.”
While I absolutely love being a musician and an athlete, it definitely has its moments where it isn’t exactly "High School Musical." So, this one goes out to Troy Bolton and all of the other Musathletes out there. If only we could express our feelings through choreographed musical numbers while our teammates were our back-up dancers.
1. Being in a constant state of social limbo.
While it seems like you would be tight with both the music kids and the athletes, you often feel stuck in the middle because you aren’t solely one or the other; you’re both. If you mention to your athlete friends how amazing your harmonies were in choir practice, they might respond with a lackluster “Oh…cool…what are harmonies?,” and if you tell your choir friends that you pitched a shutout, you might get a couple of uninterested eye rolls. There is always a Sharpay Evans trying to rain on your parade.
2. Always feeling like you have to choose between one or the other.
Although you love to plays sports and music, they obviously couldn’t make it easy! It always happens that your incredibly competitive all-state choir concert falls on the same day as your rivalry softball game, and both your choir director and coach are not having it. Cue Troy Bolton’s solo from “Get'cha Head In the Game."
3. Having to sing the "National Anthem" at your own freaking game.
And of course since your coaches know you can sing, they are going to take full advantage of your talents by forcing you to belt the national anthem to kick off the game! In theory, this would be a great opportunity to show the world that you are more than just an athlete, however, when it’s your time to shine and you’ve just finished your warm ups, your rendition of our Nation’s theme song isn’t exactly Beyoncé quality. “Ooooo say can you *GASPS FOR AIR* see!”
4. Feeling conflicted when having the choices of going to a concert or a sporting event.
And when faced with the option of going to your favorite team’s game or your favorite band’s concert, it seems absolutely impossible to make a decision. It’s the equivalent of picking your favorite child.
5. Mastering the quick change from uniform to choir garb and vice versa.
You are all too familiar with having a choir or band concert that begins within minutes after your game ends. You are also pretty familiar with stripping down in semi-public places because you know that your choir director will be pissed if you don’t show up on time. Because of this, all of the choir kids have seen you in your underwear at some point, and it isn't even weird anymore since it has become a monthly occurrence.
6. Always showing up to your concerts looking nasty AF.
Although you may have mastered the quick change, by no means have you mastered looking marginally presentable. While the other members of your choir have fresh faces and nicely done hair, your face glows with smudged eye black and dirt, your ratty hair is slicked back into a pony tail, and your bright pink sports bra that everyone can totally see is peeking out of your dress. You are a class act. You also get some dirty looks from the sopranos because you probably smell nasty AF.
7. Taking your pump-up music way too seriously.
Your warm-up music isn’t just there to fill in the silence – you take that sh*t seriously. If your team ever lets you make the playlist, you spend hours compiling different jams making sure that it has a specific direction. Start with a catchy pop song to pump everyone up, slow it down with some Rascal Flatts song about not giving up, and then bring it back with some gangsta rap to go out with a bang. And if you get to have a walk up song? That sh*t is gonna be tight.
8. Feeling like you’ve found your soul mate when you’ve met another athlete who is also a musician.
Since most of your friends are either athletes or music kids, when you meet a fellow musically gifted athlete, you wonder if you’re in an alternate universe. “You’re the star of the school’s musical and the goalie on the soccer team? Will you marry me?”
9. Being incredibly picky about your significant other.
This one might be a stretch, but seriously, I want to be with someone who I can share a Fenway frank with, but also take to a Broadway show. And personally, I don’t think that is too much to ask for. It wouldn’t hurt if they looked like Zac Efron either, but I think I can let that one slide. Just please, Lord, don’t let me date someone who gives the stank face to a baseball game or concert.
