All my life, I have been a performer. I danced since I was three years old, was in countless theater productions, took voice lessons and played the piano. I love the arts because it has been a big part of my life. When I graduated high school, my career and passion for the arts faded. I was in college. It was time to grow up and start thinking of the future.
Half way through my freshman year, I craved being back on the stage. I felt empty because a part of what made me who I am was missing. I was unproductive, unmotivated, and knew I needed some type of performance in my life. Second semester, I decided to sign up for a voice class. The first day we started singing scales and testing our vocal ranges. I felt alive, and knew I needed to get involved in something.
One of my sorority sisters (and best friends) told me that she was auditioning for the show choir at K-State and that I should try out with her. Really? A show choir? Like "Glee?" How uncool is that! Then I really thought about it. It doesn’t matter what was cool, or wasn’t, in college. This was an opportunity to get back on stage. I decided to go for it.
After a long audition process, I was lucky enough to be one of eight girls in the group of 16. The experience was unlike anything I ever had in my life.
I branched out from my normal group of friends. Don’t get me wrong. I absolutely love my sorority sisters and my fraternity friends. They were awesome supporters, and came to every performance they could because they knew how hard we worked. But sometimes, seeing the same people over and over can be exhausting. When I joined Singers, I met an entirely new group of friends. All different years, some in Greek houses, some not, and from all over. It was cool to connect with a new group of people who shared my same passion.The friends I made will be my friends for life.
Along with meeting new people, I got a great built-in support system. Since I saw my group every day at practice, they knew everything about my life. They knew when I was stressed and needed a hug. They knew when I needed to let loose and joke around. They knew about break-ups, hook-ups, personal issues, how I did on that huge exam I had, and everything in between. Having a support system of friends who understand your busy life is a blessing. I suggest you find a good group and hold on tight to them.
Next, they shared the same passion of performance that I did. I could ask any one of them to go see a concert, musical, play or any type of performance and they would be down. They appreciated the arts as much as I did and I didn’t have to hide the fact that I belt show tunes in my car. They happily joined in.
Finally, doing something I love gave me something to work for and made me work hard in other areas of my life. It gave me a break from my major. I wasn’t wasting time watching Netflix. I had to manage my time between performances and school. Because I was doing something I loved, I was a happier person. It gave me an outlet to de-stress from the everyday struggles of college, and gave me a chance to put my heart and soul into something I believed in.
I am thankful for the experience Singers gave me. My advice to readers: if you want to do something on campus, do it. Don’t listen to what your parents or your friends want you to do. Do what you truly love. College is too short to say no. Trust me, it will be worth it.
