The stereotype of the high school theatre kid often rings true. Days are marked by humming show tunes as you walk from class to class, nights are taken up by seemingly endless rehearsals, and homework is never complete without squeezing in some time for memorizing lines. Most theatre kids endure the grueling period where they wrestle with the idea of studying theatre in college, yet that usually results in a fight with Mom and Dad, a whole lot of self-deprecation, and an evening of angst, which always features listening to the entire Spring Awakening soundtrack. For those of us who didn't choose to brave the big bad world of departmental theatre, who didn't spend weekend after weekend traveling to auditions until we found the perfect fit, and who didn't keep with it once we got on campus, life can seem forever changed. You might find yourself questioning whether or not all of those times you said no to a date or sacrificed studying for a big test because you were putting in the hours to nail that dance number or belt that high F were worth it. The answer is simple: it was all worth it. The experiences you had with high school theatre gave you something valuable and shaped who you were for four years. You learned life lessons on those stages that you can't get anywhere else. Here are five reasons why it's okay to move on from all of that.
1. You're in a new place.
For the first time in your life, you have the independence to explore somewhere unfamiliar. You have the full of extent of the day at your fingertips. Most exciting things are an Uber ride or a subway stop away. And the best part of it all? You don't have to ask for anyone's permission to experience any of it. It's okay to not want to spend three hours a night in a sweaty rehearsal studio if you'd rather be exploring your new environment. You don't owe any particular director your allegiance anymore.
2. You have a shit ton of responsibility when it comes to your schoolwork.
Remember all of those times you would be called to rehearsal so you just hid in the back of the theater and knocked out your AP Government homework? Or those nights where you got home from tech at midnight and skipped studying for the quiz you had the next day and somehow still got an A on it? You know that won't cut it anymore. A quick quiz in college can cover weeks of information, and you obviously need to set aside at least six hours to study and do all that homework. If you need to recommit yourself to making schoolwork on priority, you don't need to go to the three auditions you have scheduled for one of the seven student-run groups on campus. Do your reading instead.
3. There are new student orgs to try.
Theatre was always your thing. You found your best friends there. You competed against them for roles. You sang your heart out beside them. You cried your eyes out and squeezed their hands as you took your final bow together on closing night. The fact of the matter is, those friends are off having their own college adventures. It's time for you to leave the friend nest and try those things you may have always wanted to try but never had the motivation to do. Go sign up Ultimate Frisbee or College Democrats or Hillel. You'll probably find something you really love.
4. You realize you don't care about any of the bullshit drama anymore.
How many rumors did you spread about the person that got "your" part? Who had sex with who in the crawlspaces under the stage during intermission? Who was the biggest bitch when it came to pushing people out of the way to get to the front of the formations? Who had a crush on the lead boy who thought he was way better than he actually was? Let's be real. You only care about which pizza places deliver to the library at 2 AM.
5. You peaked in high school.
Let's be real. You will never relive that time you played Velma Kelly in Chicago your senior year. Might as well go out on top.
