Student Blog: Planning Ahead: From Passion to Paycheck

As I’m wrapping up my freshman year of my BFA Musical Theatre program, my knowledge has expanded in more ways than I thought possible. Yes, I’ve learned acting techniques, music theory, and dance combinations, but I’ve also learned the importance of planning ahead for my life after college. When I graduate from college, move to New York, and start auditioning for jobs, the last thing I want to worry about is finding a day job that is flexible with my audition/rehearsal schedule. This stressed me out for a while, but then I decided to take action and start now. 

Step 1: Identify something you’re passionate about. This could be fitness, writing, designing, and more. I’m a strong believer in the fact that you can turn almost any passion into a job. 

Step 2: Find an aspect of your passion that has potential to be profitable. Maybe you’re an artist and want to start a small business. Maybe you have great people and organizational skills and think that would translate well into being a real estate agent – after all, New York sure has plenty of apartments that need selling. 

My passion for creativity and connecting with others recently led me to social media. I love creating fun reels, promoting brands, and engaging with other accounts. Social media made sense for me, so this fall, I got to work. I created a platform called @shoppingwithruby on instagram as a shopping service for the instagram community. The account allows me to partner with brands, build connections for future job opportunities, and even make a little bit of money. I’m starting out small right now, but in 4 years I plan for it to allow me to work full time as a social media manager/content creator. 

Step 3: Take action! It's never too early. Think you’d be a great realtor? Start working toward getting your license. Want to be a personal trainer? Start getting your certification now! Maybe you love babysitting kids! Start building connections with families in the city early on. Doing one small thing each day is going to mean all the difference the second you step foot in New York after college. 

Believe it or not, I am of the mindset that a day job doesn’t have to be dull – it can stem from something you love! If you start working for it now, it's more than possible to find a healthy balance between the back-to-back audition lifestyle and having a steady income! 

For more information on my journey through this process, check out @audition.tips on instagram.