As a second-year graduate student in Mary Baldwin's Shakespeare & Performance graduate program, I have already gained and learned much from my education. Aside from the academic rigor, late nights, early mornings, and questioning of life choices that always come with graduate school, my studies have encouraged me to be a better human being.

1. Listening to the text, to others, to myself

The scansion and rhetoric within Shakespeare's text are best heard out loud. It makes you pay attention. It sure did in my case. Even if I read it to myself, I understand the meter (scansion) of iambic pentameter (da-DUM da-DUM da-DUM) and the rhetoric so much better. When I listen to others read and perform Shakespeare - and the works of his contemporaries - I understand the nuances of the language.

2. No more "ShakesFear"

Shakespeare, along with other "undecipherable" authors/playwrights/artists, gets a bad rap for being too hard to understand, too "good" for just anyone to comprehend. Hence the term "ShakesFear", as originally coined by Dr. Ralph Alan Cohen. In reality, Shakespeare - and said "undecipherable" authors/artists - is/are for everyone. The public, be they "elite" or other, should be able to have access to the works and enjoy them as they see fit. No one should be swayed out of something beneficial for fear of not understanding it.

3. Awareness of other/lesser-known Early Modern authors/playwrights/scholars

Have you ever heard of John Fletcher? Thomas Heywood? Thomas Middleton? If you have, you're a Shakespeare/Early Modern/history scholar! If not, you're not alone. Before my graduate studies, I hadn't heard of them either. Shakespeare was not the only author back in 16th century Britain. But by learning about him and his work, I learned about the works of his contemporaries - they were just as fascinating/funny/thrilling/romantic/adventurous as Shakespeare's (some more so).

4. The text is a lie. Long live the text.

So many hands touched Shakespeare's texts. 400 years after he died, Shakespeare's plays/texts/works (what you will) are - by editors/scholars/actors/directors/movie studios - cut, reused, repurposed, referenced, recycled, edited beyond measure. The works are unstable - always in flux, in motion, in preparation for an awaiting audience - but are presented to the masses (via marketing, education, editing, etc.,) as eternal; just as Shakespeare the author is today.

5. Shakespeare's stories are for everyone

Every age of humankind is represented in Shakespeare's works. The characters - old mystics, brave commoners, foolish royalty, clever teenagers, rude adults, wise children, childish elders, droning judges, conniving heirs - all struggle with something in their stories. These characters have something to fear, something to strive for, something to love and cherish. These characters overcome defiant stars, brave blowing winds, overturn oppressive governments, find love, lose love, find family, lose family, become kings and queens of nations, and everything in between. The human struggle exists both within and outside Shakespeare: the world is reflected. Anyone, be they male, female, or non-binary, can play a role in Shakespeare's works. Anyone can relate to at least one of the characters. Anyone can understand Shakespeare.