Change is good

SCHOOL OF ROCK Playing guitar helps Janine McCargo blow off steam.

Janine McCargo, 30
Washington Heights
The Class Guitar for Near Beginners
New York City Guitar School

I’m an assistant vice president at a health-care communications firm. When you have an office job you have to find ways to blow off steam. First I tried yoga and that worked for a while, but it wasn’t enough. Then I started baking bread. One day I was super-stressed out—it was one of those 15-hour days when you can’t leave the office so you do a little online shopping to cope. I bought a guitar! I played for a few months on my own, but I learned so many bad habits that I had to start over. I took the New York City Guitar School’s Near Beginner class and I was hooked. I started in February 2007, and I think I’ve taken almost every class they offer. One of the highlights was performing a set in the school’s lounge—I even brought my own home-brewed beer. But the best night was playing at the Underscore, a bar on the Upper East Side, with my classmates one Saturday night. It was late, people were drunk, I was on a stage.… That felt like a real rock show.
251 W 30th St (646-485-7244, nycguitarschool.com)