Student Blog: Growth Through Expression
The Surprising Parts of Writing About My Passion.
Since I was very young, theatre has been the thing that I orbit. I have always looked at the world through a theatrical lens, in both the way I view society and my position within the communities I am a part of, as well as in the media that I consume. Being able to take my passion for theatre and put it into writing this semester has been enlightening, and allowed me to use my findings and learnings to be able to create an image of why theatre is so moving and special through what I write, and this experience has not only allowed me to articulate my thoughts, but has also made my love for theatre deeper.
I frequently write things for myself, whether in a journal, my notes app, or even the margins of my school notebooks. I am, at my core, a sentimental being, and writing things down and remembering them is something I have always done. In my experience writing about theatre for BroadwayWorld, the most surprising thing was how differently I write in a more professional blogger sense than I do for myself, and how difficult it was to condense my thoughts into words that would be easily understood by a reader.
This surprised me because I realized how much of my writing style makes sense mostly to me, and how, in order to be able to communicate more effectively with an audience, I need to remove some of the little anecdotes and trademarks that I always add for myself. However surprising this may have been, though, it was definitely quite beneficial as a learner and writer. I found my voice through writing, and as time went on, I became much more comfortable being open about my experiences, not just the good, bright parts. As someone applying to colleges and going through the college process, hoping to stay involved in theatre as I transitioned into college life, I think hearing more honesty about what might be difficult would’ve helped me a lot, so I tried to include that in my writing as well.
Typically, I feel that I am a very emotional writer and put a lot of myself into my work. Through these blogs, I unlocked a much more reflective side that leaned into not just my emotions but also the experiences that stemmed from my sentimental nature and deep connection to art. So much of what I chose to write about came from insecurities or experiences that might've made me reflect, and through these blogs, I could dive deeper into that and understand why I felt that way, as on paper, some of these things were more comprehensible. I went into blogging expecting to use my experience to help others, but I also ended up helping myself this semester, which I didn't expect. Reading what I wrote before publishing it helped me make more sense of why I feel the way I do as a college student, as well as connect to other blogs I read, giving me a sense of connection to other theatre makers around the country, as we all share the same passion, as well as some of the same fears and doubts.
There is something so beautiful about being able to learn about yourself through writing, and learn not just through the topic that you are communicating, but also the art of writing itself. Something that surprised me throughout the process as well was how little this writing felt forced, and how easily it came to me. Sometimes when I sit down and try to write, I am unable to, even if it is something I am passionate about, because I find myself unable to put my rapid thoughts down on the page. However, this is a problem I never had when I sat down to write my blogs, as I was always so quick to get something I really wanted to say out into the world. This experience has pushed me to look at theatre and my love for theatre through different lenses, as well as examine my college experience in a new light.
In writing about my experiences at Fordham in both theatre and academics, I think I have become a stronger artist and developed new ways to express myself, particularly through blogs and writing. I hope these experiences help others decide what they want out of their college experience or make them feel like they aren’t alone.
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