BWW Blog: Why I Chose to Become a Star

Earlier this week, I had the awesome opportunity to sit on a panel of current students for a virtual high school senior preview day. It got me thinking about how I picked my school as well as everything that goes into picking a college and a degree.

How and why did I choose to attend Oklahoma City University? Since I was young, I knew I wanted to attend school somewhere in Oklahoma, but I had always thought I was going to follow in my mom's footsteps and go to The University of Oklahoma. However, that changed very quickly when I set foot on campus in Oklahoma City. I remember my tour and being so amazed at how kind and welcoming the students I met were, and the impressive facilities and reputation of the school. All the administrators were so great answering my family's questions, which eased my parents' concerns about sending their only child to school halfway across the country. My positive impression continued at my audition for the musical theatre program and I knew OCU was at the top of my list. Even though I was not accepted into the musical theatre program, I knew OCU was where I wanted to be no matter what I was studying. I then interviewed with members of the faculty in the Dance program for the entertainment business major, immediately knew that this was my new path, and the rest as they say is history. After two years at OCU, I can say I made the right choice. While this definitely hasn't been the easiest two years of my life (college is hard y'all), whenever I see my friends around campus, or after the long nights of siting behind a lightboard listening to audience appreciation it all becomes well worth it, and I am reminded that I made the right choice.

Here's some advice to anyone reading this who is looking at schools and struggling to make a decision. My first piece of advice would be to follow your heart and not overthink it. If, after finishing all your tours and auditions, you have a feeling in your gut that you are supposed to go to a specific school, then follow that (your gut won't mislead you). My second piece of advice would be to go where you feel most at home (you are going to be living there for 8 months of the year after all). Lastly and this is one I struggled with during my college search, its ok if you don't get THE feeling of immediately knowing you're at home the minute you step foot on campus. It is more than ok to take a minute and have to really think through all of your options and see which one is the best fit.