Student Blog: A Letter to Rising BFA Musical Theatre Freshmen

Dear Rising Freshmen, 

Take a deep breath. Now do it again. 

Your college process was a lot. For most of you, your college process started junior year of high school and didn’t end until May 1st, if not later. For almost 2 years, life felt like a speeding freight train heading towards your college life, and it probably still feels like that. 

So, let me give you some advice so you aren’t as shocked by college as I was. Once you’re settled into classes and dorm life, and you have a few friends, that barreling freight train is going to come to a crashing halt. One day, you’re going to look around and ask yourself, “Am I doing enough? Am I busy enough?”. 

Yes. Yes. Yes. If you are showing up to class ready to learn, and you’re doing your homework, and you’re putting in what you want to get out of your education, then you are doing enough. The thing is, senior year, you got used to doing too much. You were probably either on a plane, at an audition, or writing supplemental essays about 90% of your time. And now you’re doing what you love, which is why it probably doesn’t feel like the agonizing and stressful work you got used to. It's hard work, but it finally feels productive and fun! You stay up late doing homework, but you’re working on music theory instead of Physics. You're waking up early to get to dance class instead of waking up early to take the SAT. This is what you worked for all of senior year. This is what you sacrificed going to parties and senior spring break for. You’re allowed to slow down a little bit, because you are where you’re supposed to be. 

It's also important that you give yourself time to adjust to college life! Get to know your roommate. Grab coffee with new friends! Scout out the best food places on campus. This is your new home for the school year, so make sure you enjoy it! 

The last thing I want you to take away from this is that there is not a “perfect” program. You might not love one of your classes, or there may be a teacher you don’t get along with, but that doesn’t mean you’re not where you’re supposed to be. Before you jump to conclusions and start looking up schools that accept transfers, take a breath. There is not a perfect school. There is not a perfect program. Our college processes were so intense that we all probably have a specific vision of what college is supposed to be like. If there is something that doesn’t match that vision, don’t panic, but do advocate for yourself. Talk to your program head or a trusted teacher. Talk to your classmates. Chances are, if there is a problem, you can fix it. Sometimes you just need time to adjust. Don’t give up on your program. They picked you and you picked them for a reason. 

Now, enjoy the rest of your summer, buy some fun dorm decor, sing a little, stretch a little, and get ready to spend the next 4 years of your life doing what you love! 

I believe in you!

<3, Ruby