“Schedule Your Priorities”

I’ve been thinking a lot about what it takes to make the most of this final year at NDSU. While both exciting and bittersweet, this year I hope to cement some of the lessons that I have learned along the way to help me in the future. As a student, singer, and future music therapist, I’ve learned that routine and good habits make all the difference. With rehearsals, lessons, homework, and home life happening all at once, it is the small, daily choices that bring growth and balance in one’s life.

For singers, consistency is everything. The voice is a living instrument, and it needs daily care—regular, healthy practicing, good rest, and careful preparation. A structured warm-up routine, focused practice time, and time to reengergize keeps my voice strong and my soul centered. These habits don’t just help with improvement, but they also teach patience and discipline—skills that I plan on carrying with me into my future career.

As Steven Covey said, “The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” This is especially true at the start of the school year, when it is easy to get caught up in life, in busyness. I have so many realms of responsibility in my life including my family and business, that I need to always remind myself what is truly important. Building habits around study, practice, hydration, and spritual reflection helps me give my best in all areas of my life.

With graduation at the end of this senior year, I want to finish strong—academically, musically, and personally. Cementing this routines now means I am laying the foundation for the kind of musician, teacher, and therapist I want to become. Success won’t come from one big moment in my life, but from the steady rhythm of good habits, day after day.