Student Blog: Breaks Are Necessary!

As performers, there is an ever-lingering pressure to be constantly busy (I know I have fallen for this trap before!). It feels like everyone is doing something incredible and it can be really difficult to sit back and say “I need a break” while seeing what everyone else is doing through their social media. In my experience, though, breaks are the only way to get to those social-media-posting worthy moments. 

A little moment of truth – I haven’t been in a show since June. Yes, you have heard that right - June of 2025. The girl who can’t imagine her life without acting? Hasn’t acted in anything other than classes since June. I am currently rehearsing a show now, but that didn’t start up until a month ago, so I had a lot of time on my hands for the first semester. 

If you would have told high school me that I would have a break of 6 months I would have said you were lying. Although, I hate to say it, it was really necessary for me. I had a chance to really think for the first time in 4 years.

I had 4 years with little-to-no break. I was doing 5 shows a year, over 20+ hours of rehearsal a week most weeks, 3 hours a day of training 5 days a week outside of rehearsal, and still would go home and practice. Do I regret it? Not even a little bit – but I was so tired. I didn’t really know myself outside of theatre anymore. Honestly, I don’t know that there really was a me outside of theatre. 

I mean, in theory, there must’ve been since I existed before I started performing when I was eleven, but since then, with the exception of the pandemic affecting shows, I had been performing ever since. 

I believe it is so important to know yourself outside of theatre. I know I’ve talked about this in a previous article (if you want more information about stuff like this, read my “I Have Passions Outside of Theatre - Let's Talk About It” article!), but I don’t think I’ve really talked about how sometimes to find yourself outside of theatre, you need a break. I’m not saying you need to do a full hiatus, you can simply say “this weekend I’m going to try something new.”

An issue I had was that I had days where I would say “I’m not going to talk about theatre for this whole day” and I wouldn’t last for more than an hour. I think it’s completely okay to talk about performing a lot, but also there should be moments where it doesn’t have to come up. I don’t think I really had that capability in high school. I was all about theatre all the time!

This semester I have reconnected with parts of myself I had forgotten about and haven’t been entertaining. I started watching movies and TV shows again, writing poetry, learning ASL, and more that I just haven’t had time for. This break reminded me to make time for these other loves when possible. 

I just want to remind you (in case you haven’t thought about it much lately) that you are a person outside of theatre. I am too. Everyone who performs is someone outside of their performances, rehearsals, and practice. We are multifaceted people who deserve to treat ourselves as such. Also, breaks are necessary! Not just a suggestion!