Student Blog: Back to School: Easy Semester or Not?

Returning to school this year was strange because I am a part-time student this semester, so I had no classes on the Wednesday we started school at Belmont University. I am only taking one big theatre class this semester as part of that small load. This class is my first dip into the film acting world; a class called (appropriately) Acting for the Camera! But even this class is only once a week, and therefore the feeling that I was already being ostracized from my life at college quickly crept up on me in mid-September, much sooner than I wanted it to. 

I am starting to feel very adult. I have TWO part-time jobs this semester and I live off-campus. I am dipping my toes into life after college! Despite these facts, I expected to be adrift in some way this semester. I expected to not have much to do, and when that happens I get extremely unsettled. So, I went into this semester nervous and antsy to participate in things that I won’t get the chance to do after I graduate. Now being in the middle of the semester, I have to report that I majorly overcorrected.

I started this semester rehearsing and performing an incredible period piece, a comedy called Tom Jones. It of course was lots of fun but it took up all of my time in September. During this first production as a senior for me, the realization that I was no longer the mentee to older students but the mentor for younger students hit me hard. Many of my sophomore and junior year friends were in this production with me, and realizing there was no longer anyone older than me to turn to was scary. That being said, I love helping my younger friends and was terrified that finishing the show would bring that unsettled feeling when I have nothing to do anymore. So to help my friend out, I agreed to be in not only one but two of their directing projects. I am filling those rehearsals into my agenda between my two part-time jobs that I have held since August. 

I am also working on a new opportunity where I get to perform in NYC in an off-broadway show for a few days at the end of October which is of course super exciting! But that of course means more rehearsals that I have put in at night’s now in between everything else.

Let us not forget (because I certainly did) homework, keeping my apartment fairly clean, Greek life, and Honor Society commitments (I am a proud member of both the Alpha Psi Omega Honor’s Fraternity and Alpha Sigma Tau sorority), as well as maybe hanging with my friends every once in a while! 

Needless to say, I took every opportunity to fill up my schedule going into this new year that I could. I am certainly as busy as I wanted to be despite my “light load”. But I will always preach taking every opportunity possible. So do I regret being busy this semester? Absolutely not.