Being back in school is definitely a change in pace from the stress free summer I spent working retail and binge-watching Dance Moms. Between classes, rehearsals, and work, it’s difficult to take a moment to appreciate the chaos that the responsibility of my schoolwork has given me this semester. Now that I’ve completed my foundational theater courses, my schedule is open to take any elective I want to, and I made sure to truly take advantage of my open schedule. As a senior, I am focused on gaining as much skill and insight as I possibly can from my teachers before I graduate!

The realization that we have less than a year left of class, about 8 months to be exact, has stirred the panic of adulthood and the events that go beyond university waiting for us after graduation.

Going into this semester, I knew I wanted to slow down and make more room for responsibilities outside of school, so I lightened my load. What happened as a result was, of course, more free time. What I did not expect, however, was discovering how reliant I was on my chaotic schedule and learning how to value my own time.

In my experience, crying over Shakespeare does not yield a better understanding of the work itself, but I’m only 19, what do I know…I’ve tried blaming the Shakespeare, I’ve tried blaming myself. Neither option worked! So instead I acknowledged every feeling in my body, validated how it sat it my conscious, and moved towards doing the work.

In today's blog, we discuss the importance of the arts in our world today and ways you can advocate for access to the arts to use possibly use the skills you acquire in possible career paths!

Club fairs, introductory meetings, social media promotions, all are different methods to try and get your attention. If you are like me, then you want to do it all. You may want to find your people in college or pack your resumé or gain diverse knowledge. Whatever your mindset is, I have found there are three approaches one can take in college.

The October chill has entered the air and school has officially begun, there's no turning back! Come along with me as I introduce myself and share what I've been up to this past month and half since school started again...

Going into senior year, my goal has been to stop thinking ahead. Have I accomplished this? Well, I closed my first show as a senior last Sunday which is absolutely bonkers. I performed in a comedic, period piece called Tom Jones that exhausted me mentally and physically. Despite this, I was extremely fulfilled doing what I love to do. As I have come back to school for my final year, I have been distracting myself with these rehearsals and performances. Now that it’s over, I realize how much I have not processed about starting my final year and how terrified I am to no longer feel that fulfillment. And wow, has that realization been more than overwhelming.

Senioritis is real, and it’s challenging. But I’m starting to realize that it’s also a sign of growth. It’s a reminder that we’re transitioning from one phase of life to the next, and transitions are hard.

The most impactful moments for me in my classes have been moments of honest work that did not quite go as planned. I learned more by correcting my mistakes than I ever would have if I had just asked a friend for the answer.

Now that the school year is officially back to a start, the homework has started to pile up, but the opportunities have just begun!

It’s when you hit that point that things like theater start becoming a chore, as opposed to an active passionate full hearted choice that you make everyday. You’ll start losing your love for the simpler beautiful things in life because either you don’t have time for them anymore, or you’re too burnt out to see the magic of the world right in front of you. 

The first weeks of the semester have felt like jumping back into a cold pool. Diving into my schoolwork and commitments has been shocking yet refreshing – as a senior, everything feels different. As I navigate the halls of the University of Michigan’s larger-than-life campus, I try to take each stride with a newfound sense of gratitude.

Somewhere along the way I realized that learning is so uncomfortable because it means getting really up close and personal with the idea that we don’t know everything…..Make your dent in the universe and put your brain in its place because you deserve to do what makes your soul sing and what makes your world feel whole.

Most students starting their junior year are gearing up to graduate; they’ve completed all their introductory courses and are beginning to explore more specialized topics in their degrees. However, my junior year has started off a little differently... especially considering I decided to pursue an additional degree on top of my initial degree. 

We all know that first semester of senior year is super busy! In this blog I'll go into depth about 2 unique courses that I'm taking! I'll also talk a little bit about my college application process and how that's a huge part of my life right now as we approach upcoming deadlines.

New semester, new adventures! While Japan’s academic year starts in April, this fall term is packed with exciting courses for me, from Japanese criminal law to art and literature. My favorite? A class on A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens, which is giving me a rare chance to dive into Western classics. On top of that, I’ve just started guiding walking tours for foreign visitors around Tokyo’s theater districts. With tourism booming, I thought a tour focused on Japan’s unique theater culture, including its distinct musicals, would be something special. It’s been a rewarding way to share my passion while learning even more myself!

In this blog, we reminisces on our summer activities and discuss how it might feel getting back into a routine with school. Often in high school, as students we find there can be a ton of stress that surrounds us and we discuss ways to focus on ourselves. We also discuss the 'audition season' process for my high school theatre!! Enjoy!!

I will not limit my own understanding of the world around me by putting myself in a box that determines what knowledge I can, and cannot obtain. I will strive to learn all that I can so that I can create the meaningful types of theater that I want to create.

What’s the secret to saving almost $300 on theatre in one month? Experience it in Europe!! One of the beautiful things I’ve learned about Vienna is how cheap theatre is here! This month, I’ve seen two musicals, one opera, and two plays.

No one likes to talk about academic integrity, but it's important to discuss as college students taking intense courses with big workloads!

In the fall of my sophomore year, I was cast as a swing in JMU STAD's production of 'Sunday in the Park with George'. While covering three tracks sounds daunting, here's how Megan's experience went. Spoiler alert, it was phenomenal!

Comfortability when writing is something I have not always felt. I vividly remember sitting in AP English in high school and thinking, “Wow, I’m the worst writer in here,” as I scanned the room with my eyes...at that level I was nowhere close to the people sitting next to me…or at least I thought so.

Experience may get you in the room, but talent and what you offer books the role.  You don’t need to audition for everything.

I remember how stressful and draining the college prescreening process was my senior year of high school. Trying to get the perfect takes, find the perfect lighting, all while trying not to think about the hundreds of other applicants who could’ve had more training or better quality headshots. I was so relieved to finally have it over and have a school picked out to go to… and now I’m doing it again.