Rienx's naive view of the world: Thoughts on pursuing Diploma in Music after poly // Yamaha teacher? // Busking??

I know I haven't posted for the past three days oops.
That's because after AFA revision class on Tuesday morning, there was little activity. I just stayed at home and spent the next few days literally mugging for finals next week.
Tuesday in AFA revision class, I sat with Shu Ying (met her before to go to class together) and our teacher went through a past year paper with us. Lesson actually ended in 1 hour (lol), and our teacher left the 2nd hour for consultation. At 11am, Shu Ying tried to stay with me for the extra class but our teacher literally tell her "No", because she wants to form a small circle with us XDDD kept laughing
So she parted with me and I was like Noooooo don't leave me ;____;

Yup, I'm that weak in AFA until I was called for compulsory extra class to save my marks ._. haiz. Was it like destiney or fate or something for me to be stupid XD it's so sad, because I always thought it was so cool to be smart. (influenced by smart anime guys)

But nope, I'm fated to mug my ass off until I get marks good enough to graduate smoothly c:

Lesson continued until 12.40pm, and I was so glad because 1. Teacher just went through the paper again at a slower rate, and it was all stuff I already knew so I got bored and tired, and 2. The construction contract question was hell. 3. I was craving for my tom yum beehoon lunch since 9am in the morning.

Went and bought my tom yum and went home.

And studied, and ate dinner, and watched family gamble and play piano, and the cycle repeats itself until today which is why I never bothered to update because the same thing happens everyday, only different lunch and dinner lol.

Well tonight is slightly different, Sis once again went off to Japan in one of her spur-of-the-moment trips. Dad drove her with me inside to the airport, and sent her off.

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Now comes the main point of this post.

During these past few days where I attempted to study ("attempted"), I've been thinking, and thinking.
I'm always thinking.
Okay definitely not 24 hours the whole day, but quite often.
Before sleep, waking up, during studying,

I understand why Ayano doesn't want to go to UNI anymore.
Because now the thought of it is becoming more and more tempting to me.
Not to waste my money pursuing a meaningless degree, which I won't be working in its field in the future.
And besides, if I'm already struggling to graduate from poly, how much worse could it be if I entered university?
Maybe I'd even have to drop out from the first year, if I managed to enter successfully. With me, it's not impossible lol.
But I would have taken so much effort to get a place (have to pass through interviews etc.), of course I wouldn't want to drop out.
But uni can be really stressful. I heard it, and I've seen it with my own eyes with my brother, who is smart, but he withdraw from NUS in his first year.
And instead, finally pursue on something which I genuinely have a passion for, and may have a higher chance of being just a little better than accountancy.
Because I'm relying on the sole fact that I have perfect pitch (ability to recognize pitches instantly without any reference), which is an inborn ability and rare for people to have. So I want to use what little assets I have, and combined with my piano skills (according to people, it's quite decent, although personally I think it's mediocre compared to many other top pianists on youtube), hopefully be able to find myself a career in music.

Which means that if I'm serious about pursuing music, I should totally forget about going to university at all.
And instead go to a college of music, which offers a recognized diploma in music.
Two known colleges are NAFA (Nanyang Academy of Fine Arts) and LaSalle College of the Arts. Both are same same, offers diploma in music.
Their entry requirements (the audition part):

Compared to NAFA, Lasalle has stricter entry requirements (perform 3 contrasting pieces instead of 2), and from internet forums, it seems to be a better college.

BUT, NAFA offers a diploma in music teaching, which has slightly easier entry requirements. While we're required to perform pieces of grade 8 standard for diploma in music, NAFA's diploma in music teaching only requires us to perform pieces of grade 6 standard.
Not saying that it's going to be a lot easier, but the load will be lighter. Because I need to consider that I have not touched these classical pieces for more than 6 years, after I stopped practising them upon passing my grade 8 exam when I was 13.
So that's a wide year gap, hence one of my main worries lies in there. Thus my point is it's easier to prepare for 2 grade 6 pieces rather than 2-3 grade 8 pieces, if I don't want to take too long to enter.

And...I found this for diploma in music teaching:

...our dear government will sponsor ALL of our school fees $, and even give us an allowance $$$ every month...???
Basically paying for us to study........???????????$$$$$$$$$$$$

Le eyes: $w$ *KACHING*

Sooooooo attractiveeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

But..... in return, we have to serve a 5-year bond teaching kids music in primary school.
OMG no thanks .____. *is awkward and can't handle kids well*

...........

...I mean sure I may want to consider teaching music to kids now but PRIVATELY, not in a school classroom where I have to handle like 40 kids at once! @_@

But urgh. I have another big worry. Which is...

MY AGE.

Look at the word "Diploma". Normally students entering will be aged 17 onwards, like any normal JC or polytechnic diplomas. And the same goes for this diploma. It's open up to anyone above 16 years of age.
How old am I this year? c:

20!!!!!!!!!

And I know I definitely cannot enter this year because I have not started anything at all.

How old will I at least be IF I enter the diploma course? cccc:

21!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yes, the problem lies in there. Overage much???

Omg why is my 16 year old self so naiveeeeeeeee
Went and blindly took accountancy course in SP *slaps forehead*

God I need to ask my piano teacher what age she was when she took the diploma in music.

And then how old will I be if I ever take the bachelor/degree in music? T_T

Lol let's not even go with Lasalle. Their entry requirements seriously damn high.

Anyway.

I can't possibly just skip diploma and go straight to bachelor right?

I at least need that diploma as a safety, security step stone, if ever I want to be a music teacher, or even an accompanist next time.

Now the thing I'm worrying is...do I really want to go for it? Or be like as always, just submitting application for a course in SIMge, just for "the sake of trying to enter university".
Or do I not want to waste my money and time in there. And have the courage to pass the university application deadlines (16th March for SIM). And instead focus on getting into NAFA or Lasalle and get that diploma in music instead, even though I'd most likely be wayyy overage there.

And.

What will my parents think of this? What will they think of me, not attempting to go uni, but instead go to a college of music and get a second music related diploma?
I'm basically repeating this stepping stone again. All over again. 3 years. This time pursuing a different diploma.
This time, will they actually kill me, tell me to forget about my plans and instead tell me to get a "real degree" or even job, just go to SIM and get that degree and not waste my years getting a second diploma?
Like stop dreaming. Be practical. You know it's not going to be easy at all. And you're already 20.

And this is Singapore after all, where doctors, engineers, business and law people are still favoured generally in society. Trying to be successful in music here where people immediately feel that there's little musical talent here...many will suggest going overseas to pursue music.
But I'm scared to go overseas to study. There's my flaw there. I'm scared of being away from home for a long period of time.
And no money anyway LOL

Ah, and I've also thought of performing on the streets before.
Because I've looked at yamaha's requirements for applying as either classical/pop piano teacher.
For pop teacher:

I was like "Why do we need performance experience for a pop teacher?! Is it because you want to see that we're able to play the pop songs??"

Then I thought about my youtube channel. Well technically I am sorta performing my piano arrangements to the internet audience right? :D Haha but of course it won't work.
Then the thought of performing on the streets suddenly flashed across my mind. The official term for it is called "busking".
Well even though I know that won't work too (most probably lol), but genuinely I love to perform for people, because I love the pleasure I feel when I know that people appreciates my piano playing, and enjoys my music. And I thought, that through street performing, maybe I can gain an exposure to how it feels like playing for strangers. Although of course, street performing and concerts are totally different experiences.

And we're allowed to collect tips: Money money c: $$$$$$$$$$$

According to the internet, a bad day could only get a bout a few dollars, but a good day can earn between $80-$100. Average ~$50++.

But of course, I cannot drag my piano out to public just like that. It's obviously too heavy.

If I have a smaller, portable electric keyboard, I may actually consider really sending in the application form online right now, as the audition only requires us to prepare at least 3 songs of our choice, and it's not classical! Meaning I can just perform 3 songs I've always been playing and practising.

Full website here: https://www.nac.gov.sg/naccorp/busking

Yup, there's an audition.

Yup, because we need to pass an auditon held by the council in order to get a license.
Because Singapore being Singapore, we need to have a license just to busk on the streets ccc: *flip table* Other countries don't require you to have a license to busk.

Lol at least there's no application fee. So you won't lose anything if you fail the audition.

But yes. All those old people you see on the streets playing something and trying to sing something for money, that's also busking.

They also went through the auditions and got the license to busk.
...Well, at least I think they know they have to do that otherwise it's illegal.

Yeah, I've been doing all this thinking and researching every day when I'm supposed to be studying cc: *smile sparkle*

Though I guess that really shows how much thought I'm putting in to considering my future path in music.
Maybe that's why I lose focus and get distracted easily so I'm not scoring for my exams at all oops XD
But hey at least I managed to finish reading through everything for ITFD! Although I have to relook some parts again tomorrow. And I'm not done with AFA (still have revenue recognition and FOREX omg)

Ayano has been giving me her thoughts each day, and is supportive of me going to NAFA to pursue diploma in music too.
Arigatou Ayano *bows* ;w;

Shall end here. My brain is dead from sleepiness but I think I managed to cover all the main points in this post.

Ending off with neko atsume c: