Every quarter, without fail, there is a sense of “that went by so fast!” Syllabus week turns into midterm season which in turn becomes finals week and everything in between blurs together to form the quarter. I don’t know how many times I had a conversation with a friend that started like “I can’t believe it’s already Week Four/Five/Etc!!” It seems like all of us loose track of time (or even the days of the week, in my case). It also seems like this quarter was all of our busiest, toughest, most stressful quarter–but what quarter isn’t? Just like how every quarter goes by in a snap, every quarter will bring us stress. We all look forward to a fresh start, by Monday of Week One. Yet, priorities and commitments will pile up by the end of the week. It’s something that I’m growing accustomed to.

That being said, Winter Quarter 2014 was a real learning experience for me.

• Assistant stage managing the winter production of First Person Shooter was such a blast. Learning about the rehearsal process and getting to know everyone involved was awesome. The show itself was great! I’m so happy I was able to be part of it. 🙂
• Collaboration is hard. It frustrates me to no end how collaboration is even an issue. I could (and probably will) write an entirely separate post about this. It’s hard, yes, but I’ve learned how to deal with it.
• My classes ruled. I truly enjoyed all my classes this quarter even if they were challenging. I was able to read great books that sparked discussion of humanity, explore my opportunities as a performing artist, and analyze the meaning of laughter.
• Having grown-up guts takes guts. This quarter, I faced (dramatic music) Adult Problems. Being only 19, I barely feel like an “adult” becuz wut r taxes nd rent nd other adultz?!1 (Cough.) Someone recalled to me that the difference between being a kid and being an adult was the decisions you made. (I could probably write a separate post about this topic as well.) Anyway, I had to make a big decision regarding my plans this summer. It was actually a really tough decision to make, but in the end, I took a risk. For the first time in three years, I do not know what I’m doing this summer. I have an idea of what I want to do and I’ve applied for some internships, but nothing is set in stone. It’s actually pretty scary… But also exciting. Crossing my fingers for the best!
• Balance. What with ASMing and working in the MCC, I had a pretty booked schedule week to week. I learned more about time management (I really don’t think I’ll ever truly master this), but I also learned to take breathers. Sometimes, it’s okay to skip out on a (optional) meeting or two. Or to have a quiet meal in my room. Really, being alone from time to time is probably in our best interests. When quarters go by as quickly as they do, it’s important to remember to take some time for yourself! Balance work, play, and rest!
• Do what you want now. Several guest-speakers came into one of my classes this quarter and talked about being in the theatre business. I was in awe almost every class period by what they had to say. They shared their experiences and advice and it all just reaffirmed my path to go into this business. Kit Wilder, Artistic Director at City Lights Theater Company, probably summed it all up in the words Do what you want now. Don’t wait for someone to tell you yes and don’t mind the people who tell you no.
• Friends are wonderful. In the midst of homework, rehearsals, and meetings, I leaned on several close friends this quarter; from lengthy text message conversations to long talks in the middle of the night. If I didn’t have these friends, I probably would have drowned my hall in stressed-out tears. Thank you to these friends (they know who they are :)).
• Hard work pays off. Despite all the stress and “adult problems,” my work resulted in success (or is on the way there!).

My dad asked me about a month ago what my favorite part about college was. I could have said a number of things (friends, theatre, MCC), but I took a minute to think about it. I told him my favorite part was learning. Because college is supposed to be a place for new things and I know every day I learn something new. Over the past year and a half (woah, has it been that long already?!), I’ve learned about (among so many other things) literary history, ensembles, leadership, people, writing, and (probably most importantly) myself. So, goodbye Winter Quarter 2014! Thanks for the lessons.

Happy Spring Break, friends. 🙂