During a class of mine called Character Mask (a class in which we dress in black, put on masks that have large or interesting expressions, and act as though we are these characters), I was lying on the ground behind a wall of blocks, holding a stuffed animal with one arm just above the blocks to make it look like an alligator was swimming around to the audience on the other side of the wall. After doing this for about a minute, I had to take a moment to just laugh. My professor came and poked his head over the wall, asking if I was alright. And I said, while still laughing “what am I getting a degree in?”
As I have been in the process of applying to masters programs, I’ve been forced to take a lot of time to look at myself and my life. A major part of this application process, as it is with most graduate degrees, is my statement of purpose. Writing an essay expressing why this field is so important to me, and why I belong in the masters program that I’m applying to. Outside of just that essay, some of the applications ask me even more questions, things like what kind of shows do you enjoy? Or what are some things you’ve done to fulfill this passion outside of school?
If you ever have a spare minute, I think that it’s worth asking yourself some of these things. Because when you know who you are, and why you’re doing what you’re doing, you’re much better able to answer the question of where to next?
As I’ve spent time working on this, I’ve been able to remind myself why it is that I perform, and I’ve reminded myself just how much my life depends on that. Whatever field it is that you’re in, everything that you do today is going to take you to where you’re going next. So give yourself some time to pause, perform a sort of internal retrospective, and then keep going, you’re gonna be better off.
At the end of my class, my professor came up to me, with an answer to my somewhat rhetorical question. He told me that while it’s crazy, and weird, when we do these things, and we have the skill and dedication needed, all of these steps we take create magic and joy for those watching. I believe that that is true in my field, and I believe that there are equivalent answers for every other field. Once you figure out what that is, there is very little that can stop you.