When Patti Niemi was 10 years old, she picked drums in her school music class. From that point onward, Niemi devoted her life to mastering percussion, and in 1983, she entered Juilliard, the most prestigious music conservatory in the world. Set against the backdrop of NYC in the '80s, Sticking It Out recounts Niemi's years mastering her craft and struggling to make it in a cut-throat race to a coveted job in an orchestra. Along the way, she has to compete with friends and face her anxiety while confronting the delicate balance of power between teachers and students.