Sometimes I wonder what my life would have been like if I hadn't moved from Savannah to Cumming. I would have been content with my close friends and the life that I was living, but when you are born and raised in the same town your whole life, you don't know any different. That isn't going to hurt you in life, but maybe you would have ended up on a different path somewhere else.

When I first found out I was moving away from Savannah, I felt all this anger, sadness and confusion well up inside me. My parents had seemed to betray me, and my plea to stay in our own little patch of heaven and comfort seemed forgotten and unheard. Before I knew it, we were packing our bags and moving to a town far away from the beach (I hated the beach growing up because we went every weekend). I was always an outgoing child; I had a ton of friends and loved talking to strangers even when my mother warned me against the idea. As soon as we moved, I felt isolated. My personality took a complete spin, and I genuinely felt like a new person walking on this planet. Talking to people felt difficult and awkward. I hated it here, and there was nothing anyone, especially my parents, could do to fix it.

They tried to encourage me to get out of the house and make friends despite my protest. My mom signed me up for acting classes at Atlanta Workshop Players. The kids always tried to include me, and the directors encouraged me to jump out of my comfort zone and explore the world of acting. Something inside me sparked. Opening up to people became easier each day, and I felt like I was climbing up this ladder to a new, but better me. Branching out and discovering a new hobby has transformed me into the person I am today: a crazy and grateful little thespian.

After stopping classes at AWP, I kept on going and searching for new places to further this new love that burned inside me for performing. I felt unique, special and wanted in this new community even amongst strangers. Although my peers at school did not seem to accept me all the time, the arts welcomed me with open arms and singing voices.

Theater is still a part of my everyday life. Who knows where I would have been if I still lived in Savannah? My parents would never have been able to encourage me to pursue performing, and my career pathway would not be as defined as it is now. I feel so blessed to be one of the few in my school that is so sure of their future. My friends always tease me for my outgoing personality. They question how I can simply walk up to almost anyone and start a conversation. I blame theatre for that quirky nature of mine. Yes, I miss Savannah with my whole heart, and I am so entirely grateful for the time I lived there. I still communicate with my friends from there because I wouldn't be the person I am today without them. However, the road that has led me to where I stand today has been worth every bump and twist. I love where I live, and I love being a crazy theater kid.