Thanksgiving is one of my most favorite times of year. I love being able to see my family, to maintain our traditions, and to really slow down and consider what I am grateful for. I recently saw a TikTok talking about being grateful and it completely shifted my perspective.

Those are just a few of the fun things to do around Cape G. I really do like our little college town. It’s been a lot of fun exploring.

At the end of October, I was given the incredible opportunity of traveling with a few other theatre students at my school to New York City, where for a whole weekend we lived the life of off-Broadway actors living in NYC.

It’s been a very hectic week with lots of exams and assignments, but even in stressful times, it’s important to practice gratitude. In honor of Thanksgiving, I figured it would be appropriate to write about what I’m thankful for.

In this blog post I discuss the perks and pitfalls of studying theatre abroad!

In this post, I go through the five things that help me to stay focused and motivated. As the weather gets colder and the desire to do nothing increases, it gets harder and harder to get work done, but we must do what we need to push through!

In todays blog, we discuss how you can find ways to build and manage that healthy balance between the crazy schedule of the 'theatre life' and the workload of a student.

My plans for this semester are a mix of the familiar and the new. I’m holding onto the things that ground me, but I’m also making space for unexpected paths!

When I get overwhelmed with assignments or the ever present anxiety of forgetting things, my solution has always been a sticky note. A clear list of things on fun colored paper always eases my mind, if only a bit. Unfortunately, one is not quite big enough to hold 4-6 syllabi... or is it?

My days are packed with classes, tech theater, and lab work, but after some trial and error, I've found a few strategies that help keep me organized.

Theatre kids are no strangers to busy schedules. I feel like around every corner there’s a new show, a new scene to memorize, a new song to learn, another audition to prepare for, etc. Scheduling becomes a feat one must master through communication.

I am no stranger to a full schedule in the realm of theatre, usually finding myself engaged in several projects at once. My current calendar, for better or worse, is no different.

Declaring your major can be very daunting, especially when you aren’t sure what you want to study. As someone who’s had many different career aspirations throughout my lifetime, I eventually figured out what interests me. It was a long journey, but now I can successfully say I declared my major in something I am passionate about.

I am taking a German class while studying abroad in Austria, and one of my recent assignments was to use the language in real life. I went to a local theater, the Josefstadt, and bought a ticket to an upcoming show!

I’ve been trying to only say yes to things that I know are going to fulfil me and fill up my cup and not take away from it. They are going to help feel better mentally and physically.

As someone who breezed through a lot of school, I, admittedly, haven’t always had the best study skills or habits. Here's how I'm trying to fix that.

As I reflect on my dramaturgical education over the past two years – which feels like a lifetime but is really only the blink of an eye – it’s fascinating to see how my view of what dramaturgy is has shifted and transformed. What once existed in my mind’s eye as an inaccessible, optional aspect of a production process has become the very foundation of any project I work on artistically, regardless of my role.

When I leave in the morning, I double check that I have everything I need before I leave my apartment. Phone, wallet, keys, notebook, script, binder, highlighters, water bottle, pencils, snacks — it can get overwhelming! Here’s my list of Director Rehearsal Bag Essentials that make my life a little bit easier on the days I am out from 10AM- 10PM.

As a double BFA reject (both Acting and Musical Theatre) student who now studies directing in a Theatre Arts B.A. program, I wanted to share the things I enjoy about the B.A. route that I wouldn't be able to get had I been in a BFA program. This is in NO way to throw any shade at BFA programs, but sometimes your journey changes along the way and the things you don't want to happen can turn into great opportunities.

Although I miss having my own bedroom and bathroom and midterm season never really ends here, I feel like I’m finally in a good rhythm. I can navigate around campus pretty well, I’m managing my courseload, and I’m keeping myself alive, so I think college has been a success so far. 

Midterms are a struggle for people of all academic pursuits and levels, but nothing compares to staring down one of your worst subjects and realizing both you and your grade might just crack under the pressure. This was the unfortunate scenario I found myself in this midterm season and, surprisingly, it did not go as expected.

My first time being involved with a department-run show at UC San Diego would not come until recently, and so as an underclassman, my quarters were spent focused on pursuing student-led theater. To this day, my favorite rehearsal process and show run I’ve ever had the privilege to be part of was The Rocky Horror Show, directed by Danniel Ureña and Roselle Castro.

In July I spent a few days in New York City, and one morning, I had the chance to grab breakfast with a director I admire who graduated from UCSD. About midway through our conversation, she asked me a question so stunningly simple that for a few seconds I had no idea how to answer. “What do you want to do this year?”

If you’d told me that I’d learn an entire musical in two days, have one rehearsal, and then perform an entire weekend of shows, I definitely would not have believed you. But in April of this year, that’s exactly what I did. Something I honestly still can’t believe entirely. 

The greatest beauty and biggest heartbreaks of life in theatre are the friends you make along the way. I have incredible friends around the country from various theatre contracts. Something about creating art together forges lifelong friendships unlike anything else. Unfortunately, the nature of theatre also necessitates constant goodbyes.