Band Gigs vs School

FreshTrooperXBL · #1 10-17-2011, 12:50 PM

So my band dumped our manager a few weeks back since she cancelled our tour on nonsensical reasons. These latest weeks have been purely run by our two BL who work together really well and have gotten some nice places to play and whatnot. So they are setting up gigs all over the place and I have sent them my schedule for school (a university 13 units, so not a tough full load, but ehh) so that they know what they must plan around or know what I have to give up to make some of these gigs. Well skip forward to this last week and were starting to plan out our own tour. Cool, but one of the dates (a Saturday) falls right after I take my midterm (the Friday before at 5pm). They now want to leave on Friday for our gig in Seattle the next day at 8pm the next night. I have paper due then (shouldnt be a problem to reschedule), but I have a Bio midterm that afternoon! I live in southern California and love this band life but ...what do I do here!?! I am torn because theses are things I've dreamed about, but missing a midterm like that will just tank the grade. Advice? Words of Wisdom? ... and I've told the band plenty of times that school functions that are mucho importante but they kinda shrug it all off)

gnjpowell · #2 10-17-2011, 12:52 PM

Don't skip the midterm, get a stand-in.

Barbo · #3 10-17-2011, 01:00 PM

Take the midterm, then fly up and meet the band in Seattle.

Waffles and Scotch · #4 10-17-2011, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barbo

Take the midterm, then fly up and meet the band in Seattle.

+1

dcr · #5 10-17-2011, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barbo

Take the midterm, then fly up and meet the band in Seattle.

Gets my vote as well!

dcr

Rockman · #6 10-17-2011, 01:06 PM

Or talk to your professor. Depending on the size and kind of class they might be willing to let you take it another time. Like 8am that same day or something.

Jason P Bass · #7 10-17-2011, 01:13 PM

What's the difference between a large pizza and a professional musician?

The pizza can feed a family of four.

Keep your priorities straight. The college education comes before band opportunities.

GypsyMan · #8 10-17-2011, 01:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jason P Bass

What's the difference between a large pizza and a professional musician?

The pizza can feed a family of four.

Keep your priorities straight. The college education comes before band opportunities.

^ Well said, I may have to steal that!

Calebmundy · #9 10-17-2011, 01:32 PM

Yeah I would definitely check with the professor before you do anything else. A good portion of them would let you take it early. You can get into Pizza vs. music AFTER you hear back from the instructor.

Spinal Tapper · #10 10-17-2011, 02:24 PM

Just see if you can take your exam early. I've actually done this before, I sat in with a class that wasn't my time slot. Same class, same lessons, same exam, just different people sitting around me.

Shouldn't be a problem...let them know you're leaving town early...I don't see why that'd be a problem at all. Same with the term paper. Just hand it in early.

BritPicker · #11 10-17-2011, 04:12 PM

Yeah, you need to talk to your prof (or whatever his/her title is).

Most often, I've found, is you have to communicate with your educators. They are mostly enlightened human beings who realize that their students have a thousand things they want to do. But, if you don't tell them, and just flunk off, or do badly because of what you are doing, from their point of view it's as if you couldn't be bothered and were just being lazy.

I can't see many of them objecting to you doing the work early.

When I was at college, and overcame my initial fear of the tutors and got talking to them, I found that more than a few were actually musicians and had some great gig stories from the 50's and 60's.

Good luck with it all !

**ShoeManiac** · #12 10-17-2011, 04:23 PM

Your dedication to your band is very admirable. But you've got to weigh the long term and short term benefits of this one gig. The long term benefits of your education are worth far more than what you and your band might earn for one gig. Like it's been said, if you can take your exam and then fly up for the gig, go for it.

I think you also have to accept the fact that your bandmates may not always have your own best interests at heart. You need to take a stand when it comes to important issues in your own life and this is clearly one of those situations.

An airline ticket will cost you a couple hundred dollars. Messing with your college education can cost you much more.

fdeck · #13 10-17-2011, 04:56 PM

Taking the exam early is a big price to pay, because it cuts your study time. Take a stand.

Factor88 · #14 10-18-2011, 09:50 AM

Agree with talking to the instructor about changing the date/time of your midterm. I went to several different colleges over the course of 8-9 years, and it happens all the time. That is no gaurantee that THIS instructor will be willing, but there is a good chance.

That being said, some of the responses on this thread make it seem like missing this exam and therefore tanking the class somehow means wrecking your education. Is that the case? Is this an important class that, if missed now, will delay your graduation by a semester? How much was invested in the tuition for this class? In short, what you need to do is compare the potential negative effects on your education (and wallet) as a result of flunking the class to the potential benefits to your musical career (and wallet) if you do the gig. You have not given us the information required to answer this question for you, and I do not think you ever could...only you can answer it.

But I will make one statement against the grain of some of the other advice given here. I left school as a biology major 2 years in to pursue music full time. 5 years later, I came back to my education. I was more motivated and focused on school when I returned and enjoyed academic success I never thought I was capable of when I initally was in school. In short, opportunities to get an education will always be there. Will your opportunities to be a pro musician always be there? Again, only you are in a position to judge.

But this is all "academic" because I would bet your prof is willing to work with you............

cassanova · #15 10-18-2011, 06:36 PM

I can't even believe this is a question. School is far more important than playing in a band, because it offers better chances for long term success. So, I say, suck it up and take the exam without asking the professor to change the date you can take it.

henry2513 · #16 10-18-2011, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spinal Tapper

Just see if you can take your exam early. I've actually done this before, I sat in with a class that wasn't my time slot. Same class, same lessons, same exam, just different people sitting around me.

Shouldn't be a problem...let them know you're leaving town early...I don't see why that'd be a problem at all. Same with the term paper. Just hand it in early.

This.

Factor88 · #17 10-19-2011, 08:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cassanova

I can't even believe this is a question. School is far more important than playing in a band, because it offers better chances for long term success.

I'd say this really depends on the age, situation, and dreams/aspirations of the OP. In your twenties, you are less likely to have a mortage, a wife, kids, health insurance, life insurance, etc. As you get older, one tends to accumulate these things, which will interefer with the prusuit of a musical endeavor more than going to school ever did, trust me. IF the OP has aspirations of a serious music career, there is no better time than now, it will get harder as you get older.

Floyd Eye · #18 10-19-2011, 08:57 AM

Whatever you do, do NOT blow the mid-term. Your band will most likely be a distant memory in 20 years. Your college education is far more important.

FreshTrooperXBL · #19 10-22-2011, 11:13 PM

Well thank you for the input guys. Not like I'm out of the situation yet but two other members of our five piece band have caught on to the waste of time and effort this "mini-tour" will be.

- Our keyboardist has decided he isnt going (job-related reasons)
- The rest of the band is now thinking in terms of money and travel costs ...haha they apparently didnt actually think that hard about it.

Still tho, they now are planning a string of gigs spread within the days my finals are set for ...but this time I flat out said to the BL's that if the gigs are too unreasonable and require me rush a final they can count me out.
Im sticking with my education first

MNAirHead · #20 10-23-2011, 01:37 AM

If you're going to be living this life move toward independent study and correspondence.

I got my undergrad with all the wasted tw on your busses