Student Blog: The Privilege to Create: Finding Inspiration in Spared Seconds

Every morning I wake up to a reminder about the 20 items on my to-do list. Each time I check one off, another is quickly added.

So far, February has been one of the busiest months of my college career. Between academics and clubs, it often feels like I am being pulled in fifty different directions at once. Spending time with friends has become a luxury; one that I try to incorporate into my routine as much as possible. My calendar is timed down to the minute, and I try my best to hit all of the stops that expect my presence. Weekends are hardly weekends, rather, they are extended periods of free time to do work.

Within the next 40 days, I will have finished doing publicity for one show and started the next, choreographed and performed a 10-minute set for my a cappella group, co-coordinated the entertainment for a 12-hour dance marathon aiding childhood cancer, choreographed a tap routine for my fellow sophomores, and of course, been a student. I feel the stress building just typing all of this out.

It’s times like these that I have to remind myself it is a privilege to create. I have built a life for myself at college where my extracurricular obligations include doing things I love, whether it be choreographing a line dance or making a promotional video for a musical. My busy schedule revolves around creating pieces and moments that will bring joy to others; how lucky am I?

When burnout and doubt inevitably creep into the rare quiet moments of my day, I turn to visualization. I picture the face of the B+ hero who has been battling cancer for months as they perform the line dance at the top of the hour. I think of the sea of electric blue t-shirts that will flood campus once the box of show shirts that I designed arrives. I imagine the pride the girls in our a cappella group will feel as they sing their final note, and the relief that will flood over us when we realize we did it.

This month, Villanova Student Musical Theatre (VSMT) put on a production of Jason Robert Brown’s 13: The Musical. I am incredibly grateful to serve as the Publicity Director for this organization, but with this role comes a herd of responsibilities such as managing the social media accounts, putting together creative content and promotional products, organizing fundraisers in the local community, executing show shirts, and producing both the poster and programs. While I have served in this position for numerous productions before, 13: The Musical came at one of the busiest periods of the year. At times, I found myself losing sight of the enjoyment and love that I have for content creation. The tasks started to feel like chores, and I looked forward to being able to check them off. 

I have found that when publicity falls into too much of a routine, it is because I am forcing my work into a box. I let the fears creep in: what if the director doesn’t like these pictures? What if the cast hates this idea for a TikTok? I remind myself that creativity allows room for failure. All social media trends start with one person, and from there they grow. I need to provide space for my ideas to flourish, and if they don’t, that’s perfectly acceptable too. I must be patient with myself, and sit in the moments of uncertainty. It is often in these moments that I get my best ideas. 

I find inspiration in seeing productions come to life, and I try to attach myself to the meaning within shows so I can capture their essence in the best way possible. I didn’t know much about 13: The Musical except that a bunch of college kids would be playing middle schoolers. I never could have imagined how touching this show really is. Not only does the story profoundly represent a teenager with a physical disability as well as address stereotypes regarding the Jewish community, but it’s also about giving yourself grace, and acknowledging that making mistakes is part of the process of growing. I knew that within my social media content, I wanted to capture the heart rooted at the core of this show. I combined videos and images that showcased human connection and the ways in which we lift each other up during difficult moments. 

This month may be tough, but the "payoff" is in sight. As I continue to navigate the highs and lows of my chaotic day-to-day life, I hold onto the wise words Archie delivers in 13: The Musical: “Put one foot in front of the other…and just keep walking on.”