Student Blog: Back to School

Back to school AGAIN for my first second semester! Hi, my name is Annaka Guerrero and I am so thrilled to be a new student blogger! I am from California and a first year Musical Theatre major at Ohio University with an English minor. Here's what my week looks like in classes this semester!

A bright and early start every Monday and Wednesday for my 8:35AM-9:30AM Music Theory II class. When that class concludes, we continue with more music based education in Class Piano I. After that is a few hours break, typically to grab a bite, do work, or sometimes just to lay down. The classes conclude on Monday and Wednesday with Fundamentals of Performance II from 3:05PM-4:55PM, where we will be rotating through three different sections this semester: Devising, Acting for the Camera, and Acting Through Song.

Next up, Tuesday and Thursday! I start my day with Intro to Poetry and Drama at 11:00AM-12:20PM, a required class for my English minor. After is a short, scenic walk to Dictation & Sightsinging II from 12:30PM-1:25PM. On Tuesdays, I make my way upstairs to my weekly, half hour voice lesson, and sometimes to meet with my accompanist! I take my lunch break before Ballet from 3:30PM-4:50PM. And finally, I head to my last class of the day, Scenic & Costume from 5:15PM-6:30PM.

Best day for last, Friday! Another early morning with-- you guessed it-- Music Theory again! Then lots and lots of time to do other work, relax, grab coffee. To end my week, I have Voice Studio from 4:05PM-5:00PM, where 5-6 people in my studio perform weekly and workshop with my voice teacher.

When I'm not in classes this semester, you'll find me rehearsing for my show, Yerma, in the evenings from Tuesday-Friday and the late morning-early afternoon on Saturdays. Otherwise, you might find me doing work in various places on campus and uptown, grabbing coffee (almost an everyday occurrence), up in the practice rooms, having movie nights with friends, and sometimes-- very rarely these days-- just relaxing in my dorm.

As if it isn't obvious enough already, it's a BUSY schedule, but you've gotta love it! With such a tight routine, it's difficult to find the wiggle room within it, but so, so vital! I've found it's very important to cherish and make time for the little things. As a very social person, I always make time for spontaneous activities with friends, whether it be going out to see a movie or just talking about our days in our dorms. Taking walks with a group of friends and debriefing has been such a healthy outlet for multiple reasons this semester; social time, staying fit, and being able to share what's been on all of our minds. Finding new ways to appreciate life is something everyone should do, especially if you are so wrapped up in one thing for such strenuous periods of time.

I'm so excited to see where this semester will take me and to share it with you!