"Be 100% positive when choosing a college. Remember, this is one of the most important decisions of your life!"
This is easily one of the most commonly heard phrases for high school seniors.
When September of senior year comes around, we are all pressured to quickly figure out what we want to do, where we want to be, and how we are going to get there. It seems like applying to college is the only thing that anybody asks about, by fellow students, teachers, friends, parents, parents of friends, and relatives (ESPECIALLY relatives). We are suffocated by opinions and advice from others regarding where the best fit for us is, when ultimately WE get to decide. This decision is just as important to us as it is to others. You don't want to be the only kid on May 1st without a college t-shirt, right?
We can all agree that picking where you want to spend the next few years of your life is in fact a very important decision, but there is one thing that I completely failed to understand in the mix up of college auditions, applications, interviews, and essays. This is that it is 100% okay to change your mind.
So here is the obligatory personal story that ties into this point.
As a performer from the age of 7, when I made my theatrical debut as a member of the ensemble in The Music Man, I always thought I wanted to be a broadway STAR. Living in a very close-knit, supportive town contributed to this dream immensely. I performed with every opportunity handed to me, whether it be in a haunted house, or at the Apollo Theater. It was in my heart and I swore to never give up my dream. Senior year came around and I was still on the fence of whether or not I wanted to pursue a major in vocal performance or musical theatre. A series of trips to the city and belting songs from Heathers led me to the final decision: I would go on to obtain a Bachelor in Fine Arts for Musical Theatre Performance. I ended up auditioning at 8 schools (which is not many for a soprano with a high belt from Long Island). The process was exhausting, yet completely worth it because by April 24th I was wearing my Hartt School of Music, Dance, and Theatre t-shirt. August came and I fell in love with "Broadway-School". I was learning so much and loving every second; however when I got back to my beach-themed dorm room every night and took off my "Acting-blacks", there was always an anxious pit in my stomach (and not the kind you get when your name is posted on the call-back list). I loved to sing and I loved to act, but was that enough? Every morning when I woke up the questions "Am I willing to go on multiple auditions every week and hope for a call-back? Do I have what it takes?" These questions haunted me. Through many conversations with my parents, peers, and supportive friends, I decided that musical theatre was not the major for me. I commend those who have the drive to pursue a career in theatre or as a performance major in general. Believe me, these are some of the most passionate and brave people you will meet (maybe that is why I am rooming with three of them next year). Sure, I had some talent, but talent is not enough in this business, and as I began to accept that, that anxious pit in my stomach slowly dissolved.
Long story short, I ended up transferring after my first semester at Hartt, to Wagner College, where I am now an Arts Administration Major with a concentration in Art, Media Management, Music, and Theatre. I am involved in the theatre program at Wagner, I am now the President of Good Vibratones (acapella group on campus), I am in the Marching band and Treble choir, I am taking voice lessons, I feel incredibly productive as I apply for internships and jobs, but the most important thing is that I am happy.
But this is not "The Auto-Biography of Meghan Gunther".
This is just my story. One where a high school senior applied to college, went to college, changed her mind, transferred, and is still just as happy.
I know, who am I to give you advice? But as this year comes to an end, it would be a shame if I did not share one of the biggest life lessons I have learned.
Whether you are a high school student, a college student, a graduate student, or just a person, do not ignore what you feel is right for YOU.
It is OK to transfer.
It is OK to go to an expensive college.
It is OK to not go to college at all.
It is OK to transfer to a school closer to home.
It is OK to commute.
It is OK to attend community college.
It is OK to not know what you want to do whether you are 15 or 23.
Most importantly, it is OKAY to change your mind because ultimately, nobody is going to remember what t-shirt you wore on May 1st of your senior year.
