Student Blog: Era of Discovery

Going into college, I thought I knew my plan – get a bachelor’s in Youth Theatre, get a teaching credential, and get a job in a school as a theatre teacher. However, plans change. And that’s okay.

As of now, I’m still on that path. I’m planning on working after graduation while working towards my credential. However, I’ve been exploring other routes, like those in educational programs in community theatres. I’ve applied for internships, looked into part-time job opportunities, and have taken every opportunity to work with professional theatres in any capacity I can.

I've got to say—it’s been a lot of fun, but stressful. I’ve gotten to interview for the La Jolla Playhouse, meet the staff at various San Diego theatres, and have learned more about the inner workings of theatres and all the positions that keep the place running. I’ve been in contact with production managers, Equity stage managers, directors, and faculty from various departments.

But more importantly, I’ve been reminded of why I love art as a form of expression. The world gets scarier by the day, and yet, we must persist. Being a queer student from the diverse Chicago suburbs, and then moving to California, has been interesting. This time last year, I was adjusting to college and learning how to live my life away from the world I knew. However, I now find myself advocating more every day. Between being part of the production team for a philanthropic feminist theatre club, and existing as a student at a public university often referred to as “Rage State,” my values have shifted to making me a more politically active individual. In November 2024, I stayed with my friend group and complained to them when things were tough, and life got scary. But now, I’m about to work on a piece advocating for education and movements against sexual violence, while getting to see a piece about aromanticism and asexuality that I wrote be performed on stage. I’m also getting to have discussions about art and its importance in academia.

Additionally, I’m learning about how texts can be interpreted and portrayed in a way to make hidden messages more explicit. In the past year, I have been able to work with almost all the theatre clubs on my campus, and have been a part of theatre classes in many fields, including analysis, technical creation, performance, etc. I have seen how directors and actors collaborate to give characters queer identities, or create internal emotions not written into the text. I have gotten to explore using light and paint to create references and emotions of a certain historical event. I’ve been able to create costume designs around book characters based on underlying themes, and have gotten insight from designers about how they create worlds with light.

Overall, it has been a year full of discovery. From making sure political debates stay peaceful and getting to yap about my favorite movies, art has been able to heal and teach — the way I have always found it to. Theatre in particular has always been a healing source for me, and I’m glad I’m getting to spread that to the world, my campus, and most importantly, my friends.