Slow down, you crazy child.
So you’ve finished final exams. But the stress doesn’t stop there. It just pivots from those dreaded test scores to summer internships, job hunts or perhaps larger existential crises. We each have our own ways of dealing with the burdens of college life, and Winter Break is surely a good start. For me, the best method of escape is a pair of noise-canceling headphones.
A timely release by Larry Fisherman, rapper Mac Miller’s piano-playing alter ego, reminds me of what’s most important when the pressures of school feel insurmountable. Miller reworks the Billy Joel record “Vienna” with darker, pitch-shifted vocals. This stripped-down cover, absent of any drums or bass, is a sign of Mac Miller’s maturation as an artist, but also a sign that he faces the same problems that college-aged, entry-level job applicants face today.
Miller asks, in the first verse, “If you’re so smart, why are you still so afraid?” The reinvigorated lyrics ring just as true today for any University student feeling motivated, yet demoralized at an unclear future as they did on the release of the 1977 album The Stranger. It’s not surprising that Miller chose to recreate this Joel classic. The rapper has experienced quick success, but at 23, he has the world ahead of him, and that can be intimidating. Miller is like any of us. Studying at Michigan is a great start, but that doesn’t make the road ahead any less treacherous. The overwhelming sense of uncertainty is partly what I’m afraid of.
The song raises several difficult questions — difficult because we may not want to answer them:
“Where’s the fire, what’s the hurry about? / You’d better cool it off before you burn it out / There’s so much to do and only so many hours in the day.”
It’s easy to get caught up in the rat race of Ann Arbor. And it’s even easier for me (or Joel or Miller) to tell you to slow down before you burn it out. But I think it’s important to remember that career goals are only half of the picture. Setting personal goals to spend time with those close to you, being outside more or helping others can put things in perspective. New York Times writer David Brooks raises an interesting point in his book “The Road to Character.” We focus a lot of our attention on “resume virtues” to further our careers, rather than “eulogy virtues,” the traits we’d like to be remembered for. When you’re sprinting toward a target, you may be going too fast to realize you’re aiming in the wrong direction. So, really, what’s the hurry about?
Recently, I’ve been contemplating what’s next for me as a second-semester senior. What jobs should I be applying for? Is law school a good decision for my long-term career goals? The choices I make now will dictate the path I head down, and that’s a lot to digest. It’s unrealistic to think that where I want to be in 10 years is where I will actually end up. It’s fun to dream, though — maybe I could be an indie record label executive, or maybe I could manage a talented, emerging musician. We have no choice but to take a blind leap toward a career we’re passionate about and hope for the best. Joel’s four-decade-old lyrics sum up my feelings towards dream chasing:
“You’ve got your passion, you’ve got your pride / But don’t you know that only fools are satisfied? / Dream on, but don’t imagine that they’ll all come true”
There’s a sense of complacency in satisfaction. To set lofty goals is healthy, even if we never quite get there. It requires reinvention. Eight years ago, Miller began releasing mixtapes in high school and then moved on to producing his own independently distributed chart-topping albums. Since, Miller has released music using several aliases, including Larry Fisherman, Delusional Thomas and jazz frontman Larry Lovestein with the Velvet Revolver. Miller continues to redefine his sound as a musician, instrumentalist and producer. In an industry packed with a surplus of artists, it can be hard to stay relevant.
We are all trying to break into industries flooded with talented candidates. That alone can be a lot of pressure to keep your foot on the gas. So when your tank’s on empty and the grind has taken its toll, don’t hesitate to turn the lights down, put on your headphones and take a step back.
But if I haven’t persuaded you, it may sound more convincing in lyrical form:
“Slow down, you crazy child / Take the phone off the hook and disappear for a while / It’s all right, you can afford to lose a day or two / When will you realize, Vienna waits for you.”
Zach Brown can be reached at zmbrown@umich.edu.