Name: Desireé Marie Juanes
Age: 23
Major: Drama with a Performance Emphasis
Hometown: Oakdale, California. The Cowboy Capital of the World. (Google it, I swear!)
What clubs or organizations are you involved with?I am not in any clubs yet but I have been really involved in the Theatre department this semester and have just completed my second show here at San Francisco State University. The first show I was a part of was the Player’s Club show which was Swimming in the Shallows by Adam Bock and the second show was called COMM150 written by Jennifer Marte, which was part of San Francisco State’s Fringe. Fringe is a series of shows written by students that are performed in different phases.
Do you have any hobbies/ interests? I love to sing, act, dance (in my room, by myself), and really want to be good at hip-hop but maybe in another lifetime, play the ukulele, guitar, basically anything associated with the Arts! When I am not doing that, I really enjoy being outside whether it’s at the beach or going on a nice hike. I am always very active and busy!
How do you stay organized with school, work, events? It’s not easy, I’ll tell you that much! I feel as though a lot people think Drama majors don’t have to do much as other majors, but our workload is pretty intensive! As an actress, it’s not about just memorizing lines and performing on the stage. We have to research our scripts, the playwrights, why we are saying the lines we are saying, and most importantly going below the surface of the text which can sometimes require a lot emotionally. Not to mention, most of our nights are spent at rehearsals. As of right now, I spend most of my time at the library or rehearsing and when I am not rehearsing, I am working at Starbucks as a Barista. It’s been a crazy semester for me, but it is not impossible to manage your time wisely. I bought a planner which also helped because I am able to keep track of what I have to do each day.
Who/ What inspires you?So many people inspire me! What is amazing about the Theatre program here at San Francisco State is that everyone is extremely supportive of one another and not to mention, they are all so talented. My peers inspire me, my professors inspire me because they make me feel like I have potential to do something great, and I think that is the most important thing a student can hear is reassurance from the ones they look up to.
What do you like about San Francisco State? This will probably be so cliche of me, but I would say the diversity. Only because I come from such a small town where everyone knows everyone and so to come here and be surrounded by so many different and unique individuals is really exciting for me because everyone has their own story of how they got here or where they came from. Also, the faculty here is absolutely wonderful. Although I am mostly taking courses for my major, I have taken a couple of GE’s and even the professors I have had for those classes really want their students to succeed and that is something I have always needed. The campus itself is beautiful and I am so spoiled to be 5 minutes away from the beach!
What are you looking to gain from your college experience?The first word that comes to mind is growth. This is my first time being away from home and admittedly, it wasn’t easy. However, as time has passed, the adjustment has become easier and easier. I hope to do as much as I can in the year I have left here. I plan to remain actively involved in the Theatre department and hopefully inspire future students to express themselves and go for what they love!
Do you have any advice for college students? Make the best of your experience because it goes by faster than you think. Make friends! Work hard and play later, I promise, you’ll thank yourself. Don’t stress out, everything turns out just fine. Trust yourself and believe in yourself. You worked hard to get here and deserve it!
What is something that people don’t know about you? Hmmm! Well, the first thing that comes to mind is that I can actually belch really loudly. I am not sure whether to be ashamed or proud, but for those who do know me can validate that statement. If only I could remember to talk as loudly on stage as I do when I belch…I am still working on that.