Bananas

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Bananas

by YourDreamTheater » Mon Oct 12, 2009 6:13 pm
Hello there!

I've been lurking around for a while now and I finally figured I would make my entrance into the BTG world. I've already read a lot of really interesting hints and tips from this board and I figured I would try to give whatever I can back!

A little bio -- I'm a third-year music major (composition / performance) born in the United States and I'm considering applying for graduate school to study business (which program / where, I do not know).

I'd like to offer this piece of advice for people who are nervous the day of / the day before the exam:

As a classical musician, I have performed a few times at Carnegie Hall. Before every concert, the stage-hands who help set up the equipment leave a spread of food and drinks behind the curtains for the performers. Before my first concert there I noticed that the spread contained dozens and dozens of bananas. I asked one of the stage-hands about the bananas and he said, "We always make performers eat bananas before big nights because the beta-blockers calm the nerves. We've been doing it for as long as I can remember." Although I think his scientific reasoning may be off, the stage-hand was right. I ate two bananas minutes before walking on stage and had a completely nerve-free night. I've been eating bananas ever since and haven't felt nerves in years -- and this is coming from someone who suffered from the worst nerves imaginable!

As I've grown older I've noticed that this is a well-practiced tradition in the music world but nowhere else. I would highly recommend that some people try eating bananas the day before and the day of their exam.

Just figured I would put my two cents out there!
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by beatthegmat » Mon Oct 12, 2009 7:40 pm
This is fascinating! Thanks very much for sharing this tip, and welcome to the community. :)
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