I struggled so much my first year of being at theatre school and I still struggle today. There are so many things no one tells you.
No program is perfect.
Yes, there are big-name schools who have lots of working alumni. This is 100% true. However, no program is perfect. Program heads and their colleagues are always struggling to keep up with the business but for the most part are always one step behind. It's very difficult to change the curriculum as quickly as some might like and most of the time people want to change different things. I have never heard of anyone who is completely happy with their training. There are people in every program who wish they'd gone somewhere else, had more acting training, had more dance training, had more music theory, had fewer gen-eds, etc.
Be yourself!
Dear god this is so important. Don't try to be anything you're not. The quickest way to derail your new social and creative life is to "re-invent" yourself for college. Just give them the real you because it's already incredible. As the late, great Judy Garland once said, "Always be a first-rate version of yourself, instead of a second-rate version of somebody else."
You don't need to get along with everyone but you do have to be able to work with everyone.
There is never an excuse to be a bad person, however, sometimes you just don't get along with certain people. I have been in numerous situations since I came to school where someone else has done something so upsetting to me that I can't speak to them in a social setting anymore. Be patient. Be kind. Try your best to be understanding. Be forgiving. It is vital in this business, and in surviving a program, that even if you don't like someone, you are still able to work with them in a professional setting. If someone continues to sabotage their chances at being your ally, it's their mistake.
Don't let people bully you.
Bouncing off of #3, while you have to be kind to everyone, don't let people ruin your life. Social sabotage is extremely common in a small competitive setting. It's the quickest way to make sure another person feels secure and on top of the food chain. People will bully you if you let them, and they might not even be aware that they are doing it. Don't let them get to you.
Don't rely on other classmates for support.
In high-stress environments with 13 hour days, 7 days a week, everyone has their own stuff going on. This isn't to say you shouldn't build strong, healthy relationships with your classmates. Just don't expect them to be there for you when the going gets tough because believe me, their going is getting tough too. Musical theatre school is an extremely fun and exciting way to connect with people you may not have had in high school. People like you. However, it's also a time for you to grow as an artist and as a person. It can be very challenging at times and people are often pushed to their very limits... so no one really has time for anyone else's problems. Putting your problems on another person can not only be hurtful and stressful for them, but also for you. It can make you feel insanely alone, or as if no one cares about you. Relying on your classmates as your only support is the quickest way to destroy your growth as an artist. Instead, try talking to your parents or friends outside of the program.
Be optimistic.
People are always complaining about something. Choose to steer the conversation to something positive or funny. It's the best way to ease anxiety and just enjoy yourself.
Trust your talent.
Everyone in your program is talented. Get over it because so are you. It's gonna hit you like a ton of bricks when you first get to school, and all you'll be able to think is, "Oh s***", but seriously trust that you deserve to be there just as much as everyone else. If you have faith in your own skills, you'll shine brighter than those who don't.
Take care of your body.
I am not a dancer. I don't like to move unless it is for a damn good reason but in order to sustain for 13 hours every day, you have to eat well, sleep well and move well. You are what you eat so if you eat chicken tenders with french fries, you will feel like chicken tenders with french fries at rehearsal. If you drink a bottle of red wine before you go to sleep on a Tuesday night, you will feel that bottle of red wine when you wake up from a terrible nights sleep at 8am on Wednesday morning. Also, don't smoke. Just don't. If you wanna get high, put it in a pie.
Enjoy the good moments, learn from the bad.
I know this one sounds silly but it's important. There will be so many incredible moments in your time at school and there will be even more bad. From the good take inspiration, complete joy and reassurance that this is what you want to do in life. From the bad take the experience and turn it into a lesson learned.
Everyone has a different experience.
No two people are the same. Just because your friend loved their school right away, doesn't mean you will. Sometimes people decide they've made the wrong choice and they leave. For some people, everything gets easier with time, for others it gets harder. Some days you'll feel the strongest you've ever felt and some days you'll wish you never went to theatre school at all. You will probably question everything at least twice a year but some people never do. You may struggle, you may not. It's theatre, so really anything can happen.
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