Student Blog: My Grand Plan

As a theatre major with a passion for stationary and a love of organization, if there’s one thing I know, it’s planning. Life as an aspiring actor can be busy on the best days and absolutely insane on the worst, so it’s important to have a clear idea of where you are and what you need to do to get where you want to go on a daily basis. 

I’m a double major working a pretty demanding campus job while also aiming to conduct my life, so I rely heavily on pre planning my weeks in order to figure out where I have time to enjoy myself and when I need to lock in. Since I, like most members of my generation, suffer from having my phone attached to me at all times, I like to use digital organization tools in order to have constant access to my notes and schedule. My favorite online tool is Notion, an online note taking, planning, and organization tool that allows you to customize your dashboard with calendars, widgets, and lists (and cute colors and personalized banners). I find that I use my planning tools more when they’re aesthetically pleasing, so I love that Notion gives me the freedom to customize my experience while also helping me organize my thoughts and responsibilities.

In addition to digital organization, I like to keep a physical reminder of my schedule in my living space. I have a giant calendar whiteboard on my dorm desk, and I make an effort to look at it before I go to sleep every night. I find that this process helps me internalize what my schedule is for the next day and reminds me to set aside any materials I might need ahead of time. For example, if I have an audition the next day, I’ll make sure to pack my audition book and extra warmup materials in addition to my regular bag. 

In creating your personalized schedule, it’s important to be aware of how you like to accomplish work. I find that I work best in concentrated amounts of time in higher pressure situations, so I’ll often schedule myself to complete work for one class or project all at the same time. However, this system isn’t for everyone, and being aware of what time delegation is the most effective for you is key.

Managing the fast-paced world of theatre in tandem with college academics, work, and trying to maintain a balanced lifestyle can be overwhelming at times. Personally, I struggle with a lot of time anxiety- feeling like I don’t have enough or hyperfocusing on one major event a ways off. However, in developing planning routines, I am able to break down all of my responsibilities while I’m inputting them into my schedule and be reminded of them on a day-by-day basis. These processes of literally taking my life one day at a time have turned into a cathartic way of processing what can otherwise be immensely overwhelming.