I’m a D1 theatre kid, and yes, I mean that seriously.
Theatre has always been my greatest passion. I was in my first show when I was ten, and I instantly fell in love with the craft. I became obsessed with the rush of performing and made my closest friends through the process of creating art together. Now, I have been in too many shows to count, and my Spotify Wrapped is ruined by show tunes. I identify strongly with the “theatre kid” label.
I learned about the University of Texas’s theatre program at the beginning of my senior year, and UT quickly became my dream school. After the rigorous audition process, I was admitted to UT as a Bachelor of Arts in Theatre & Dance student.
It was a difficult decision to choose to pursue theatre in college. There are so many warnings that come with choosing a career in the arts. Warnings and questions may include: “Don’t you want a real job?” “You’ll never make any money!” “Are you sure you’re good enough?”
(Note: If you know someone pursuing a career in the arts, please know that the warnings listed above are not helpful. Artists are smart enough to pave their own paths and find success!)
However, there’s one warning that I regret ignoring: the many unexpected challenges that come with turning your hobby into a professional career path.
I am completely surrounded by theatre.
When I go to class, I learn about theatre. When I’m with students from my major, I talk about theatre. When I go to rehearsal, I create theatre. Even when I sleep, I literally dream about theatre.
In high school, theatre was an escape from my daily life. It was an activity that alleviated my stress and served as a space to explore my feelings. I felt the freest while rehearsing and performing. Now, my entire life revolves around my passion.
Toward the start of school, I have to admit that my feelings unexpectedly changed regarding my relationship with theatre. Rather than feeling like an escape from reality, theatre became a constant source of pressure. I desperately want to be an excellent performer and build a career I’m proud of. This led me to worry more about my abilities and place in theatrical spaces, instead of finding the joy I used to feel while performing.
I didn’t know how to cope with so many new, conflicting feelings. Fortunately, I was able to express my distress to my professors, classmates, and other fellow artists and found that the feeling was shared. Even my friends in non-artistic majors confessed that they were experiencing the same feelings.
If you share this feeling, don’t be concerned! This feeling is normal and expresses your passion for the path you are pursuing. Adjusting my mindset has been key to feeling comfortable with the challenges this transition brings.
Two purposes can exist at once: I can take my work seriously and still enjoy myself while creating! I can experience the freeness and rush of performing while still becoming better and applying necessary criticism. While theatre isn’t exclusively for recreation anymore, I’ve had to remind myself that theatre is supposed to be fun! It’s impossible to exist in a creative space if I don’t allow myself to experience the natural joy from creativity.
It’s also necessary to find time to take breaks from theatre to recharge. Burnout is very real, and it’s impossible to create and appreciate art when feeling its effects. Setting boundaries with art makes creation more precious!
For the first time, I’ve found hobbies outside of theatre. If theatre isn’t what I simply “do for fun” anymore, what can become my new de-stresser? (I’ve personally learned that writing is my favorite unrelated hobby! Thank you, Her Campus!) It’s important to have multiple identities and interests outside of your art and career to continue the exploration of yourself… and maintain some sanity.
Theatre isn’t just a hobby anymore. It’s my future career. My relationship with theatre may be growing in a different way, but the evolution is making me fall in love with theatre all over again.