Hallie Anderson remembers spending many long hours with nothing to do bored in a hospital room.

One day her nurse Jenny came into her room with different musical instruments and Anderson asked her if she knew how play any of them. Jenny told Anderson that she knew how to play the guitar and that she would teach her if she wanted to learn. Anderson accepted her offer. Jenny then began to come in her hospital room every other day to teach her.

Anderson, a freshman, loved learning how to play the guitar because it distracted her throughout the day. After Anderson learned how to play the guitar, she learned how to play the piano.

Once she knew how to play instruments, she started singing. She fell in love with music because it helped her get through her rougher days.

She has 11 medical conditions.

“I use music as kind of an outlet,” Anderson said.

Anderson now writes her own songs. Anytime she gets some free time, she will get out her guitar and some paper and start writing.

Anderson would love to perform and show off her talents but she has horrible stage fright. Anderson is terrified to perform so she keeps her talents a secret. Only a few of her friends know that she is musically talented.

One of Anderson’s good friends is Abby England.  

“Her creativity is a big gift, I think that her putting her gift to work is just a really great thing,” England said.