BWW Blog: It's Never too Late to Get Involved

Hi everyone! Welcome to my first post on Broadway World! To give a brief introduction; my name is Tayler and I'm a fourth year Theatre, Film and Digital Production major with a minor in Media and Cultural Studies at the University of California, Riverside. I transferred to UCR last fall as a Media and Cultural Studies major. I had theatre experience in various positions from high school, but always thought it would be a fun hobby. I never considered studying theatre or making a career out of it.

What I want to talk about today is getting over the fear of changing majors and pursuing your passion. I didn't switch majors until spring quarter of my third year which was definitely scary to think about. I had doubts about not graduating on time, not being as experienced as other students, not finding a job after graduation, not knowing how to get involved in productions, etc. I'm here to tell you that these are all normal thoughts, but don't let the thoughts stop you from chasing your dreams! I made a list of some tips I've learned over the past year that may be useful if you're considering changing or declaring your major to theatre:

1. Make friends with your academic advisor: I cannot stress this enough! Keeping in touch with your academic advisor whether in person or via email is extremely important when deciding on switching majors. They can help you reach your academic goals, especially if you're worried about not graduating on time because of a change in majors.

2. Take a theatre class before switching majors: If you're up in the air about switching your major, take a theatre class to try it out! Most colleges require students to take a certain number of units outside of their major, so trying a class out won't hurt at all. It'll still help fulfill units, and you may find out that you love studying theatre.

3. Talk to professors in the department: Professors truly love what they do. They're here to help students. They are willing to schedule appointments in their office or answer questions through email. If you're worried about what career path to take after graduation or what area of theatre to study; they can help guide you to resources.

4. After changing/declaring your major CHECK YOUR EMAILS: If you do make the switch to theatre keep an eye out on emails from the department. They send out casting calls, crew calls, opportunities for internships or jobs. It's your best bet to get involved in productions and broaden your resume.

5. Don't be afraid to follow your dreams: No matter how far along in college you may be, it's not too late to switch majors. If theatre is your passion, pursue it! There's a world of opportunity out there, you won't regret it.

Hopefully you found some helpful advice in this post, I'll see you all (virtually) next time!