For most college students, the experience of leaving home and traveling across the country is new and exciting. For others, the prospect can be terrifying with only the hope of learning to bolster them through it. And for the other half, they are fortunate enough to live close to campus and simply commute; they have access to family and possibly pets to help them through the transition. If pets were allowed in dorms, then they would probably be overrun with animals. One fun method to help break the ice and ease the transition, could be getting a puppet.
Puppets take on many forms and can be used in many different ways. If you've ever watched a stop-motion film or a Muppets movie (Thank you Jim Henson) then you've already seen some of the various versions and applications of puppetry. If you've ever pulled a (hopefully clean) sock over your hand and made it talk-that's a type of hand puppet. Throwing your hand up in front of a light source and making shapes is a form of shadow puppetry. A personal favorite of mine is a hybrid rod and stop motion puppet: Gabriel is a Drabbit from Imaginarium Galleries.
Being far away from home and missing friends, both human and furry, Gabriel is actually a huge comfort. Introducing one's self to new people can be a trial, and sometimes a puppet can make that easier. I know from experience that talking to someone about something you're familiar with, other than yourself, makes it much easier to fall into conversation. If ventriloquism is your choice, then have the puppet begin the conversation! A puppet can always act as an ice breaker because most will be curious as to why it's on your person.
Another aspect a puppet can help with is to give you a sense of control. You are the one who dictates what the puppet does at any given moment. Shadows might offer the greatest amount of control over what happens, but hand puppets offer quite a bit as well. Gabriel offers less control over himself than other types of puppets, but he is still fun to control regardless. The finesse required to make his head turn in a convincingly lifelike fashion is tricky to master.
It could then be said that they provide a sense of accomplishment. The sense of satisfaction gained from manipulating a piece of wood, faux-fur, and wire to make someone smile is wonderful. It took me months to learn how to properly work with Gabriel. It's almost like he's an extension of me now, instead of simply being a thing sitting on my shoulder.
I am one among many that find puppets and their manipulation fascinating, and a great hobby. People like Jim Henson and Jeff Dunham have even made a career of their skills in puppetry.
A great icebreaker and a good source of entertainment, hopefully more people will discover the benefits of trying to work with puppets.
