People tend to think I'm crazy for being a triple major. I'm majoring in English, Theater and Performance Studies, and Dance and Performance Studies. Yes, three majors is a lot of work. But I chose to take this route to make myself the most well-rounded artist possible. When you are truly doing what you love, all the work is so incredibly worth it. Theater is at the center of my career aspirations. Studying acting and all the other different elements of theater and performance has changed my life so much for the better.

Acting has taught me how to be human. My teachers always tell me that in order to be a good actor, you need to have a deep sense of humanity and the human experience. That is something I am always in pursuit of and it is so fulfilling. I've learned to put myself in other people's shoes, to see things from different perspectives, and ultimately opened my mind and my heart. I am forever grateful for that. I love being able to tell stories that people connect with, stories that make people feel like somebody gets it; stories that make people feel like they're not alone. There's something cathartically beautiful in being able to really connect with other human beings through performance. It is genuinely refreshing.

Being in this field has taught me to have thicker skin. I am very aware of how cutthroat this industry is and I'm ready to work harder than I've ever worked before. It's given me the deepest understanding of myself that I've ever had. That has been so important in my life. I've learned to trust myself, to believe I can do great things, and to be the best version of myself. I love who I am when I'm doing what I love. I love being happy. As Lucille Ball once said, "You really have to love yourself to get anything done in this world." I am never more confident than when I'm performing. There's no greater adrenaline rush. There's so much power in performance; I whole-heartedly believe it can change the world. Seeing a show that hits you hard in the best possible way is one of life's greatest pleasures. I hope to build a life based on creating art that matters, art that could very well change lives and hearts.

I couldn't be happier with my choice of major and my choice of a career. A lot of times people think I'm just choosing this career path in hopes that I'll become rich and famous. I'm not going to lie, that's always a nice prospect. But I think it's the wrong reason why someone should want to be in this business. Fame and fortune should be a nice bonus, but not one's primary motivating force. I want to be an actor for the sake of the art. I'm constantly astounded by how much more there always is for me to learn about this craft. I think it's so beautiful and I enjoy beautiful things. I encourage you all to find what you love, what makes you feel alive and pursue it. The world needs people to do what makes them feel alive. That's what makes life brilliant.