Student Blog: Change by the Mile

This semester has been packed full with shows, activities, and classes. As I’m looking back on this semester I see how far I’ve come. I sang my way through the score of Sweeney Todd in September. Then I helped produce a production of 35mm in October. Which finally leaves me in November where I have begun preparing for my upcoming recitals. It’s a reminder of how far I’ve come and how far I have left to go. 

The end of my degree feels like I constantly reach the finish line, but then someone reminds me the race has 500 more miles. My school recently had self-tapes due for the Spring shows. Our callback lists recently came out and I am fortunate to have gotten two! I’ll be going in for Rent and Iolanthe (which is an opera). Now I begin prepping for callback weekend! These are some of my favorite weekends to prepare for. I’ve learned how to reframe my thinking about these weekends from stressful to excited. I get to learn my cut to explore a new character for a few days. In one weekend I get to be a witty lover then a rowdy bohemian. It makes that extra 500 miles added to the finish line worth running. 

Once I’m truly done running though people often ask me where I’m going next. What will be the next big race I train for? There were so many cities I considered when deciding where to go after school. My sophomore year of high school I did a vocal competition in Chicago. I loved it there! It was a top city of mine to be after school for a long time. I’m confident that I want to be in NYC now. My plans changed when my mom told me the story of my first trip to New York. I was thirteen and fresh off the plane in New York then said to my mom, “I’m home”. I’m pretty sure thirteen-year-old me was onto something. 

While you develop as a person there is going to be more put on your plate and plans will change. These are integral moments to decide whether you keep running or give up. My experience has taught me to always look ahead. Along the way, you’ll meet some great friends, learn lots of music, and see some cool places. Only you can define your experience, so embrace the change and keep going. You got lots of miles ahead, but you’ll conquer them all.