As summer break comes to an end and the fall semester approaches, it's time to switch gears and focus on a new school year. Freshman year of college is a huge year of growth, and although some of your classes may be virtual or hybrid, beginning your college coursework is a monumental moment worth celebrating. Amidst all of the excitement comes anxiety and fear. I thought I would try to ease your mind and provide you with some advice as you begin this transition.
The most exciting thing about college is you are given the opportunity to focus on what you want to study. Walking into a college theater program is a dream come true for most theater kids. You are surrounded by students who share your interest for the first time. You take dance classes, voice lessons and acting classes with very few, if any, general ed classes. What an amazing feeling! Enjoy being engulfed in your passion. Really soak it in. You will never experience a time where you can eat, sleep, and breathe theater again.
That being said, be yourself and forge your own path to get what you want out of a program. It is overwhelming to transition from performance being a hobby to a career path. Be easy on yourself and allow exploration of other hobbies. If you are interested in taking yoga classes, exploring voice-over training, or taking a few writing classes, see if there is a way you can work that into your education. If your college allows you to pick a minor, don't rule out a path that has nothing to do with theater. Life experience and knowledge about all different subjects can only inform you as an actor. Do not be afraid to explore your other passions as well.
Theater programs are very unique in that students are learning just as much from their fellow peers as they do from classwork. Look around you. The people you are taking acting class with now will graduate and enter the professional sphere of artists at the same time as you. The competition is fierce and it will only get fiercer as you all become trained actors. These competitive programs establish just how much rejection this career brings. Do not be too hard on yourself. Rejection is vital to every actor's development. Every single one of you were admitted to the program you are attending because someone saw potential in you. There is room for everyone in this industry. Do not let the intense competition break you down.
Similarly, each and every person in a class has a completely different starting point. Some students have years of professional work already under their belt, some have performed with their high school drama club, some students have 15 years of dance training, some have none. The point is to be easy on yourself and those around you. In most theater programs, freshman year is used to bring everyone up to one speed. This way you can all continue your next 3 years of training together and have the same foundational skill sets. If you are a master of one skill already, take the time to review it, it won't hurt you and you probably will learn something new. Or better yet, lend a helping hand to someone who may not be a master yet. You'd be amazed by how much you can learn about music theory simply by trying to verbalize a concept out loud to a peer.
Be careful not to judge yourself or others. You do not need to be the best at anything. The girl in class with the perfect pirouettes you are so jealous of may have been in ballet since she was 3 years old and she may not be able to play the piano like you can. Do everything you can to stop comparing yourself to others. It is difficult when you are surrounded by new, super talented friends, but try to relish in your skills and develop them as much as you can. If something is not your forte, remind yourself that’s okay. You all have your own individual strengths and weaknesses within the program. Embrace them.
Challenge yourself to step outside of your comfort zone. Do the thing that scares you- whatever that may be. You will thank yourself in the long run for stretching your limits and seeing what you are really capable of.
It's important to remember that college is a learning experience. Although it may not feel like it sometimes, it is a safe environment to fail. Once you graduate there is little wiggle room for falling flat on your face with no repercussions. Don't be afraid of messing up. In fact, I encourage singing a wrong note, making an acting choice that doesn't feel right, or messing up the choreography in jazz class. College is the time to make those mistakes and learn from them.
Of course, don’t take your studies so seriously you forget to have fun. You will meet people from all different backgrounds and have experiences in the next four years you will remember for the rest of your life. Do not pass up opportunities. When a door opens, walk through it. Be kind to those around you and foster relationships that will last a lifetime. Your college years will be some of your fondest memories Cherish every moment.
Break a leg!
-Allyson Duarte, Founder of ABCoaching.
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