Student Blog: Dear 2021...

Dear 2021,

You have been a weird year.

When I say weird, I say it with love. We have been in our homes for far too long with many of our activities being altered. Slowly, I have returned to the "real world" with some modifications. I've been taking online classes for almost two years now and this has really taken a toll on me. My extracurricular activities have also been changed or impacted. I don't get to see the people I love that often or get to do the things I love because its risky. Bottom line is, the world is constantly changing and we have to adapt to new situations even when it's not what we want. I am sure that this year hasn't been easy for many of us, yet every obstacle is a new lesson learned.

I want to celebrate all the accomplishments I've achieved this year. I am sure that every single individual in this world, was able to accomplish something big or small. These accomplishments might be getting a good grade, landing a job, waking up without feeling tired, eating that dessert you've wanted, facing a hard time, learning something new, and more. Why am I saying this? Well, because sometimes we downsize our accomplishments and we believe that fitting the norm, doing the norm, and being the norm is and should be easy. Following the norm as well as breaking the norm is hard. 2021, you were a big year for me. There are so many things I got to do and try out as well as so many moments I wished I could just lie in my bed and disappear from what was happening.

I laughed, I cried, I wished, I loved. And through these moments I was able to complete small and big victories. So without further ado, I would like to thank you, 2021, for the following moments:

(Every single moment will be accompanied by song which reminds me of that moment)

January 2021 was freedom to me. After months of being stuck at home, I was finally able to go on my first vacation with my family to Cancun after the pandemic started. I won a trip to Cancun doing a baking contest. Therefore, there is no other song but What Baking Can Do from Waitress to remember this moment. When I entered this baking contest, I would play Waitress nonstop to be completely inspired. I even did a lime merengue pie and called it Take Me to Sweet Victory Lime Merengue Pie. And as I enjoyed my time at the beach, I can approve the line: "Mama, it's amazing what baking can do".

February 2021 was crazy busy. I barely had any time to blink let alone sleep. My musical theatre self thought it would be fun to participate in three virtual shows while keeping up with school work, extracurriculars, and a life all at the same time. These shows where: A Killer Party, In The Heights, and Jane Eyre. Although every show was at a different stage, meaning I would be recording voice for one, video for the other, and having rehearsals for the third one. To be honest I was a complete mess. One would think that doing a virtual show is much easier because you don't have to remember all of your lines at the same time or you can rerecord a video or a sound if you don't like it, yet, my perfectionist self would make me record every scene like a thousand times. So for this specific moment, I want to pair it with the song, Anything You Can Do from Annie Get Your Gun. The reason for this is that I was in a constant competition with myself. Some days I would tell my self, "no, you can't" be in three shows at a time, but my other self said and defended with utmost pride, "yes, I can".

March 2021 came with a boom. After a whole year of Covid-19 and turning 23 in March 20th, I thought about how fast life changes. It is very easy to let life go and depend on outside forces, yet we must remember that this is a life we only live once. We can't let it go to waste. Even if we are going through tough times, we have to keep moving forward and do the things we love. Most importantly, we have to make sure that we are around the people who make us feel our fullest. We have to acknowledge that without someone there is no one. For this reason, I am choosing the song People from Funny Girl to go with the month of March. The lyrics, "But first, be a person who needs people // People who need people // Are the luckiest people in the world" demonstrates that humans where meant to need someone else. We depend on others. Whether it is our family, our friends, our teachers, mentors, etc, humans were meant to go through life by the side of someone else.

April 2021 came with the unexpected. I applied to a camp to be a camp counselor, and I was offered a position in the Arts & Crafts department. Other than that, it was a pretty normal an contained month. I had classes, my mom's birthday, easter break, casual hangouts. During easter break I got to see my whole family, which was nice because with Covid we don't get to see each other that often. In previous years, it is very normal to see your whole family every Sunday morning or afternoon. This changed with Covid. So I was really glad to see the whole family. Mexican families are traditionally very big, so for this reason, I would like to recognize this moment with the song Paciencia y Fe from In The Heights. All we need is a little patience and faith, and before we know it, the whole family will be together again having our custom Sundays.

May 2021 was a month of unlocked dreams. I've been thinking about studying Musical Theatre for a long time, yet it wasn't until May 2021 where I took my first big step into acquiring this. I stumbled across the website, My College Audition, which is a site that helps students apply and prepare for college auditions. Me being an international college student didn't know where or how to start and what to expect. Still, I put myself out there and took that first step. With guidance and direction, I knew that my dream could come true. So for this reason, I am choosing the song the Wizard and I from the musical Wicked. This song holds so much power. It is the moment Elphaba notices the superpower she carries. I still remember my first consultation. I was very excited to start the process yet I felt scared that I wouldn't be good enough. I didn't even want to name all the schools I was researching and thinking of applying because I was scared the person would think I was a fool by applying. The total opposite happened, she named the schools I was thinking about. We categorized them into middle and reach schools and organized a plan into how I was going to get things done. Elphaba's excitement, thrill, and passion represents me. The moment she sings, "And then I meet the Wizard // What I've waited for since: Since birth!" speaks to me dearly. Even though I wasn't born singing, acting, or dancing, I know this is something I was meant to do since I was born. Slowly I have paved that trail.

June 2021 was fresh and vibrant. I followed my way to New York City and took a bus Monticello, New York. I've loved camp since I was little, and this was going to be the very first time I was going to be a camp counselor. The people that I met there (both counselors and campers) will always hold a special place in my heart. The adventures I had with my bunk were crazy, unexpected, thrilling, and full of life. Most of my Bunk B girls did not like my musical theatre playlist, therefore, for this month I will have to put a non-musical theatre song. The song that represents my June is Love Story. We sang this song in the talent show as a bunk, and even if we didn't win, we had the most amazing time.

July 2021 was tiring and bright. The heat and cold waves, long days, non stop work, color war fakeouts, Fourth of July, and even the hospital rides. Yes, you read that right. I went to the hospital twice because my brother, who was a camper, got sick. The nearest Children's Hospital was two hours away. First time I rode an ambulance and hopefully it's my last. Even though there was this small critical situation, I wouldn't trade my July for anything else. As the days went by, people who where once strangers where becoming family. Having this in mind, there is no doubt that I want to choose a big ensemble song. Therefore, You Learn from Jagged Little Pill is the song I am choosing. This song talks about living your life. The only thing in life we have for sure is death. Just like the song says, "You live you learn // You love you learn // You cry you learn // You lose you learn". So it is our job to use the time we have to make mistakes, laugh, cry, and live.

August 2021 was unforgettably amazing. These days where my last moments with my campers and counselors. The last days where filled with Color War, Banquet, late night talks, and ongoing laughters and cries. When camp finished, I stayed a couple of days in NYC with some friends. We toured the city, rode a bike in Central Park, went to the Brooklyn Bridge and went to many restaurants. During this small stay, I got the chance to take an in person voice-class with Carrie St. Louis after a whole year of taking virtual lessons. Our last night, a friend and I went to 54 and Below to see Derek Klena's show. After listening to him sing beautifully, I have no option but to choose My Petersburg to describe this month. Anastasia is one of my favorite shows due to the history it has. The last line, "Welcome to my Petersburg" will always have an impact on me. The way Derek Klena sings it is just out of this world.

September 2021 was scary and bold. The reason behind this is that I started my applications for the Master Degree programs and Conservatories. To be honest, September 1st was marked in my calendar since it was the day most universities opened the application portals. Being an international student meant I had to do all applications plus take the English Standardized Test and get a Course by Course Evaluation. This was definitely the most tricky thing because sending all of the papers to get an evaluation takes a long time. At the same time, I had to practice for my auditions. Every single school had different requirements, so I had a spreadsheet that mentioned what I needed for every single school. The two audition songs I chose was Once Upon A Time from the musical Brooklyn and Simple Little Things for 110 in the Shade. So for this month, I am choosing Astonishing from Little Women to represent me. Astonishing is and will always be my go to audition song, except for this process since it overdone. In Mexico, Astonishing would definitely not be overdone because not too many people know this musical. But the reason why I choose this song is because I feel represented by Jo. She is the second sister of four in the family just like me and has a passion for writing, which in my case it is for music. I also feel a deep connection with the story since I to have a brother who passed away, just like Beth. My brother was the third in the family and will always always always be guarding me. The song says, "I'll find my way // I'll find it far away // I'll find it in the unexpected an unknown // I'll find my life in my own way today // Here I go // And there's no turning back // My great adventure has begun" and it inspires me to carry on. During this month, I submitted many of my applications and I can't wait to know the results in March.

October 2021 was mournful and confusing. In this month, I lost my grandma to Covid-19. She was fully vaccinated, nevertheless, she didn't make it out. My grandma was my best friend. I would see her constantly two or three times every week. I cried my eyes out every day. To remember her, I dedicate With You from Ghost the Musical. I know this song is very sorrowful, yet, it helped me identify my feelings through this tough time. "Any place I wanna be // I wanna see you there". My grandma is gone forever, yet her knowledge and wisdom goes beyond me and will live with me forever.

November 2021 was fun and busy. I was working from 8 am to 4 pm, had classes till 9 pm, and rehearsals from 9 to 11 pm. I barely had any time off. Yet, I met some of the most incredible people in my school's musical. This time, I got the honor to help as the production's team assistant. I get to go to every single rehearsal and explore theatre in a different way. For this month, I am choosing the Finale song from The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee since this is the show we are doing. This song wraps up the musical and it is very fun. All of the people in the show are very talented and nice. The song lyrics in Spanish say, "Vigesimo quinto annual concurso de spelling bee".

December 2021 is known for love and family. December has always been the month were I get to see my whole family. Christmas is a very big tradition in Mexico and there is a lot of celebrating. To commemorate this month, I am choosing Tonight from West Side Story. I saw this movie twice and can't explain enough how much I loved it. Being Mexican and Latina, this movie makes me feel represented. "Tonight, tonight, it all began tonight". Every day can be the start of something new. If we look in the correct places, we can find love and passion within anything.

2021,

You have been a blast.

2022,

I don't know you, but I will say I am not afraid of you. I've endured so much this past year that I know I can react positively or optimistically to any situation that is presented to me. I'll see you soon.