6 Survival Tips on Dealing with Criticism

College is starting up again and for students new to college, this means a brand new environment and an unfamiliar horn teacher.

As with anything new, there is a period of adjustment required. Declaring yourself as a collegiate major in music is a significant choice. It indicates that you intend on being a professional and that you are now accountable to a higher standard in order to improve and hone your craft.

For music performance majors this means hours of practice – the method to improve and meet the challenges presented in weekly lessons. These lessons in turn are the mechanism to diagnose and test the efficiency of the practice.

Under pressure

For some, this can be a big change from previous learning experiences. If you are not accustomed to a higher level of scrutiny and accountability, you might find yourself crumbling under the pressure.

The first semester of college music lessons can end up being a series of random trials and errors. Mine certainly was, and I imagine that this is not an uncommon experience.

Six tips on how to deal with criticism

1. Don’t make it personal

Sometimes it might feel as though a comment in a lesson is a direct criticism about personal style and beliefs. It is important to keep in mind that learning is subjective and that the teacher is there to help you improve and see that you graduate, ready for employment.

2. Develop a thicker skin

It can be difficult sometimes to take criticism on something we have worked on for a long period of time.

When presented with your work, only rarely will your teacher be 100% satisfied with it. This is a good life lesson too – we all should surrender to the fact that we will always receive criticism – both positive and negative. (Ultimately, this is a good thing of course!)

3. Ask questions and seek advice

Teachers and counselors exist to help you succeed in solving problems. If something is not clear to you, ask questions. If your first round of questions feels unanswered, keep searching. Use the resources readily available on most campuses – other faculty, campus advisers or the library.

In college, the time for lazy thinking and spoon-feeding is over. Student comprehension is no longer the direct responsibility and duty of the teacher. In college, students are now young adults; their academic quest for knowledge and a career demands taking charge, asking questions and taking responsibility.

4. Act like a professional

College is a good practice field for testing out basic tenets of professionalism and teamwork. This includes acceptance of methods and beliefs different than your own. Be confident in what you do, always keeping in mind that the goal in college is to be a professional and handle yourself accordingly.

5. Stand up for your musical choices

If you feel overly criticized for some reason, speak up for yourself. As a teacher myself, I like it when a student makes a firm musical choice, even if it runs counter to my own.

6. Journal your experiences

I will probably write about the value of journaling until my fingers wither to the bone.