Success Not Fictional by Allie

Success Not Fictional by Allie - January 2016 Scholarship Essay

The biggest change I felt in transitioning from my high school to college careers was the focus in which I directed my academic attention. I found myself exhausted at the end of a normal high school day of classes, using excessive brain power in my AP classes in which I was enrolled due to my grade point average, but not because of my interest for the subject or my want to further my education in it. The classes which I actually looked forward to every day, like English or art, suffered because of my constant worry to succeed in my other classes. Now in college I find myself in a blissful state, expanding my knowledge on my chosen career path and being able to focus intensely on the subject- theatre.
Admittedly, I have become obsessed with the idea of becoming an artist as well as a student while in college. Artistry implies an overarching passion for your art form in which you may change your lifestyle or your daily routine to do so. I try to adopt all my acting notes from professors or directors into my daily life, meaning I am constantly bringing my academic work into my everyday life. Something all actors can always expand is their ability to make connections into their work. Sometimes we play characters which we have a lack of personal connection to. While that isn’t ideal, it’s another artist’s hurdle to jump as to how we can connect to this character. A way suggested to me by one of my most trusted acting professors is to simply read more fiction.
Reading. A seemingly easy fix that will contribute to my brain bank of knowledge, experiences, and stories- all of which combine to create good acting. However, reading for fun is a good habit which has escaped me throughout my later years of high school and early years of college. Reading countless books for school has strayed me away from reading something I would enjoy on my own, or something that would be beneficial to my art. In 2016, I plan to embrace an artist’s life style and set aside time to read a new fiction book biweekly, maybe even setting aside time each day before bed to read. Putting myself on a loose schedule will make this task seem like my escape from school work, when in reality it is just a disguised imagination booster.
It just goes to show that when one has a passion for their major like I do, college can not only be stimulating, but a refreshing excuse to embrace good habits.