Rock N Roll: The Groupie Chronicles

Well the live is present tense, I’m still a groupie now! But they are quite good about it for the most part, that said at my age it’s not as if they have a say, I am just open to hearing about their concerns and easing them. I am really glad you sent in this question because I want to tell you how INCREDIBLY important it is that you choose to live your life the way you believe in it. If you’re young and college aged you’re lucky because you have just enough life experience and age to get away from your parents influence if you’re willing to work hard at it, but you’re not so old you’ve already got the life you thought you wanted and realized you’re not happy. Do what you believe in, do what you’re passionate about. It’s a scary concept leaving home but you learn SO much about yourself and it’s worth the experience completely when you come out the other side of it.

My parents were very sketched out by my involvement with music in the beginning. I was 18 when I started, and they were all about me studying, going to university, etc. So I tried doing the conventional thing but it never clicked, I had to do what I believed in and I don’t know how I used to live a life where I didn’t wake up fucking THRILLED to be alive at least most days! My parents LOVE me and yours love you, and even though they can be fearful of a lifestyle they don’t understand and it can come off as dissapointment, they can be VERY rewarding to open up to about it if you do it the right way. It’s all about communication, they probably think this is some passing and dangerous fad, you need to tell them that it’s about doing something you love and explain that it’s not the life they imagine it to be. Be open to their fears and ask them how THEY feel, why they aren’t accepting and what about it scares them. Not only will they be impressed in your interested with their feelings and thoughts, but they’ll feel like they’re getting the chance to really contribute and help you make decisions and just generally be heard!

That’s all parents want, when they tell you to ‘be safe’ when you go out at night, they know you already know and they’re not nagging they’re just saying it because they NEED to say it, they love you so much they need to remind you things like that constantly to feel like they’re doing everything they can to keep you safe and happy. Let them know you understand this and be open to them expressing their views, be the adult and don’t get angry and blow it—a display of maturity and willingness to communicate with them will only help when you want things down the road like going to a college they didn’t choose for you, or taking a year off to work and travel! They’ll know you thought it through well enough to ask them for advice which means they’ll know you actually take it to heart because it wasn’t given during an argument about living your life how you want to!

Good luck!!!!!