All through out high school, I was very active. I was in the drama club and found a true love for theatre. I was always somehow involved in everything going on with the drama club. I was an officer for three years. I loved every second of it but, I guess I just never got a thank you. To be blunt, I worked my ass off for that group. I did everything in my power to make sure that everyone was heard and we squeezed every bit of fun we could out of the program. I was in every show and worked extremely hard. I went to voice and dance lessons every week and always tried my very best.
I guess I should point out that my father was the director at the high school and I always felt like I had to prove myself. It went so far as me having to go before the principle and some of the administrators. That had to be the most embarrassing thing that ever happened to me. I felt so worthless. It felt like this hard work I was putting in amounted to nothing and no matter how hard I worked I would never be good enough because of my last name. That was such an all time low for me.
I went on to be named in the all-star cast two years in a row at one-act competition. Even then, none of my friends congratulated me. No one said, "Good job," or, "You worked really hard and it finally paid off." No, no one said anything. For my college audition, I got numerous call backs. No one cared. I got a superior rating on my final I.e (Individual Event) at the Georgia Thespian's Conference. No one even cared enough to say congratulations. No one cared about me. They were all so wrapped up in themselves to even think about me. It was heartbreaking.
Then, for my senior spring musical, I was cast as Ariel in The Little Mermaid. No one said anything except that it was rigged. Yes, a young man at my school, who was notorious for B.S and his older sister, who hadn't gone to the school for a number of years decided to take to twitter to say that, and I quote "this high school casting is some B.S." Needless to say, that crushed me. All of this pride I had for years of hard work paying off meant nothing. All of a sudden, my years of dedication and experience didn't matter. I didn't matter to them. Needless to say I fought back but, it had little effect. I felt so useless and worthless that I had never felt before. It was like no one saw the living being in front of them. Instead they saw something that meant nothing but, was expected to be perfect.
I tell this story to tell you that no matter how little people actually care about what you have accomplished or how little they notice your hard work, It's there. You did it and it's real. No one can take that away from you. NO ONE. So keep working hard, pursue your dreams, and live your life and the people who matter will take notice. They will always take notice.
