OLD SCHOOL

I started playing the trumpet at 42. Why learning new skills as an adult is easier-and more fun-than you think

- Rebecca Philps

IN FEBRUARY 2020, before the world went into lockdown, I sat in a cramped waiting room with about 10 other people, all under age 12. "I'm dyyying!!" I texted my friend, shaking with silent laughter. "What am I doing here?!"

Here was a music academy, and I was about to take my first trumpet lesson. Learning to play was something I had talked about for years, for no reason other than I thought it would be fun. But it wasn't until my husband gave me a trumpet for Christmas that I got the final push to give it a try.

I was floundering. In three years I'd had two kids, left a full-time job to freelance and we'd moved across the country. I wanted something that was invigorating, a little out of left field and, most importantly, just for me.

I've never mastered a musical instrument before and had lived with the quiet shame of being called tone deaf since I was a kid (I'm not, for the record). But there I was at 42, throwing my lot in with a bunch of preteen mini Mozarts. I was simultaneously nervous and thrilled by the idea of starting something new.

It had been years since I'd tried a hobby in which I had no background, no connections, no baseline knowledge. I was curious to see if I could hack it. As it turned out, I could-and with a few simple tips, so can anyone.

EMBRACE DISCOMFORT AND HAVE FUN

As adults, we're reluctant to go outside of our comfort zones. We may fear looking foolish or making mistakes. But there are advantages to being an adult learner. If you've chosen to explore a hobby, it's because you genuinely want to. You're motivated to learn. And you bring a wealth of experience that you can connect with to help learn new material.