As I’ve been packing up my dorm room and preparing for finals, it’s been hitting me that by the end of this week, I will no longer be a freshman in college. I’ve been reflecting over the past year—the highest of highs, the lowest of lows—and I can’t believe that it is really over.

Although it may be tempting, the cons of breaking academic integrity far outweigh the pros. Believe in yourself and know that you are capable of doing anything you put your mind to. The end of the semester is a stressful time, but keep pushing through and keep your academic integrity intact!

Hello again, readers! I hope you all are well! Today, as I am in the midst of my final exams, I wanted to offer advice on burnout. In most college experiences, one experiences burnout. That can take on many different shapes: being tired of classwork, socialization, extra-curriculars, or just an overall lack of motivation. Every college student struggles with burnout to various extents. So, it is important to acknowledge and take care of.

The next thing I know, it's an hour later and all I've accomplished is TikTok asking me if I want to snooze because I've been online for 30 minutes.

My life here at Dobbins is so insane at times, but very unique and I wouldn’t want it any other way.

The title of this blog embodies how I felt after I exited the theater of my high school’s spring musical. And just to be clear, this feeling was not conjured due to the performance but from the inevitable comparison of the past and the alienation the title ‘alumnus’ brings.

Being a theater major, or being in a top program, does not define who you are as a performer or as a creative person. Staying inspired and continuing to immerse yourself in art despite all else is all that matters.

Nervous about your first year of college? Don’t stress, here are some tips on how to survive your freshman year.

Feeling the college burn out? Me too. What should you do about it?

Imposter syndrome: it’s inevitable. In a field where the “dime-a-dozen” mentality is constantly pushed on us, it can be hard not to compare and doubt yourself. It’s not uncommon to have feelings that you don’t deserve the opportunities you’ve been given, that you’re not good enough, and that you don’t belong. But never fear! Imposter syndrome is something experienced by actors, singers, and dancers everywhere.

Next time you find yourself required to work on a backstage crew, I encourage you to view the experience as a valuable opportunity to become a more well-rounded practitioner of the arts and a more well-rounded person.

This March the University of Colorado Boulder staged a production of Stephen Sondheim's Company in the Charlotte York Irey Theatre in the University Theatre building. For this production I was asked to be Wardrobe Head. I was put in charge of a little crew of three other kickass wardrobe technicians and we were in charge of all things costumes.

Local director Nancy Eppert has been in the world of directing for 30 years, and I had the great pleasure of asking her a few questions about her craft.

Last summer and this winter, I visited Broadway with the intention of exploring the series of cultures related to Broadway, rather than just watching the shows. In particular, I wanted to find out what the differences were between the theaters in the United States and Korea, having watched various performances in Korea and working as an usher in a Korean musical theater.

I have always loved writing and used to want to pursue a career as an author. As I grew up and became more busy, I lost more and more time practicing writing and only practiced writing in the form of poetry every now and then. Upon starting the playwriting class last semester, my inspiration was relit and I began writing more than I had in months.

To be 100% honest, I’m feeling the effects of burnout. There are days where I just want everything to slow down and I just want one day with nothing going on. But I love everything that I’m doing and I don’t want to stop.

In the midst of finals week, I am experiencing (as most students do) burnout. No matter what grade or major you are, it is almost impossible to avoid burnout, between assignments, classes, and finals. For theatre students especially, it can be tough when lots of our work caters towards emotionally charged and physically exerting work, which can affect our energy not only mentally, but also emotionally and physically. While this is a lot to balance, there are ways to manage burnout while also getting your tasks done!

Needless to say, even though there are only two weeks left of the semester (one week of classes and then finals week, crazy!!) student life is still going strong and is as bustling and lively as ever! The end of the semester is also always a particularly exciting and busy time for students involved in one particular area: the performing arts.

Though it may currently feel like you’re drowning in work and you have no will to continue, don’t let the stress of the moment let you lose sight of why you came to college in the first place, and how proud you will be when you finish.

We make mistakes and get burnt out and there’s nothing wrong with that. It’s okay to feel negative emotions, towards the things you love, towards yourself, or otherwise. It will pass and it will get better.

If you want to be a writer, you need to be writing. If you want to be a filmmaker, you need to be making films. You should be reading the classics, you should be watching the classics. These are all pieces of 'advice' that I've had thrown at me. Things I need to add to my to-do list. Yet, the advice-givers forget that there are only 24 hours in a day.

We all have the power to push through and persevere through trying and busy times in our lives. With just a little effort and motivation, we can do more than we thought was possible.

I don’t know much about the process of creating a new musical, but I imagine the fundamentals are similar to writing a book (only with music). The creator/author writes a draft, edits the draft, edits more, and then goes in search of someone who can help bring their words/music to life.