BWW Blog: Writer's Block

Well, it's that point in the semester. The point when it gets dark super early, the semester has been going on forever and ever, and the homework is starting to pile up again post midterms. It's also the part of the semester where students (myself included) can tend to fall behind and have to scramble to make it to the end of the semester.

However, as we all know, there is an extra wrench thrown into the mix this year: COVID-19. With cases on the rise in the state of Indiana, my university made the pre-emptive decision to send us all online this past Monday. Personally, I appreciate the desire to keep students safe and take a precautionary measure as opposed to a reactionary one.

That being said, we as students are now facing the double whammy of that late semester slump coupled with the pandemic. Last semester, when we went virtual, a lot of professors were very gracious and encouraged us to be gracious with ourselves. But, since the pandemic and living through the trauma of a pandemic has continued to be normalized in American society, with our second bout of online school beginning, the grace period for students does seem to be...less.

Theatre school is stressful and a strain on students in general. The conservatory and academia are not two systems that make a happy marriage. In the best of times, academia can stifle love of the arts in students. Having to turn a rental house into a musical theatre extravaganza recording and dance studio is certainly less than ideal as well. It's getting harder and harder to stay on top of everything that needs accomplished. So, for my benefit and for yours, dear reader, I will share a short list of things that have been helping me keep it together to get through these last few weeks of the semester.

1. Make a list! I made a list of things I needed to do while sitting on my couch TONIGHT, writing this blog being one of them!

2. Keep your space clean, or at least organized to the best of your ability. It helps to keep your head clear and I at least personally feel more able to do things when my space is clear...er.

3. Exercise! At home exercise routines on YouTube are pretty much my saving grace, and have been for months. Even 20 minutes a day is better than nothing, and feels great.

4. Eat a vegetable or a fruit everyone once in a while (maybe even both). Your body with thank you. I promise.

5. Give yourself grace, even if no one else will.

Something I have been telling myself lately, when it's hard to motivate myself to go to class, or a lesson, or what have you, is this: the time will pass no matter what. If you feel unprepared, or unmotivated, or worried, or anything in that vein of emotion, just know that even if the events don't go 100% as you might desire, the time passes either way. And you can and will come out the other side, still whole and still alright.

So even though I procrastinated writing this blog until 10:15 at night, I had an enormous bout of writer's block - the time still passed. My goals got accomplished (thanks list!), and I still live to fight another day of online school. And so do you, dear reader.