GCSU students use music as a way to handle stress
MILLEDGEVILLE, Ga-- Christopher Karow has been the Georgia College drumming circle facilitator for about two years, he's used music therapy with people of all backgrounds.
"Community drumming has been used with Parkinson's disease patients I've worked with Parkinson's clients using different drumming techniques, it's been used in drug addiction rehab," Karow said.
Karow said he's seen first hand how impactful drumming can be. Especially in his students.
"They'll come in and you can tell that they've had a hard day, or they don't want to talk, or they don't really want to play drums when they first come in but then they get the drum in their hand and they start to engage with the other people in the room it sort of helps lift their spirits and you can see that," he said.
"Not only would I gain experience and like leave feeling more relaxed and feeling better," first year student Meghan Jennings said.
Jennings explained that before finding the drumming circle she always felt like something was missing.
"I can tend to isolate myself when I'm feeling overwhelmed at school so coming to the group every week helped me feel included and feel like I was getting out there and meeting people and I wasn't shutting myself out," she said.
She said playing the drums in a group is like something she's never experienced before.
"It makes life more bearable and it makes you see things differently," Jennings said.
