Choosing to study Musical Theatre in college was a no-brainer for me. I think I can speak for the majority of my peers at Shenandoah Conservatory when I say that they cannot see themselves passionately pursuing any other career. We are fortunate enough to spend the majority of our days in multiple dance classes, studying the Meisner technique, singing all ranges of music, learning to play instruments, and all around pursuing the things we love. As glorious as it all sounds and as graceful as we strive to be, there are still a few things we struggle with on a regular basis. Just to list a few:

1. The Leotard Butt

We all enjoy starting our day with a little ballet barre and a few battements. When ballet ends and your next class is conveniently scheduled to begin in less than ten minutes halfway across campus, there is no time to hit the showers or change your clothes. That sweaty leotard is there to stay and as it begins to ride up, you are now rocking the classic four-butt cheeks look, how cute. No one, and I mean absolutely no one, looks good with a leotard butt.

2. Special Skills

On the bottom of an acting resume, it is quite common to have a “Special Skills” category filled with a long list of all the unique hobbies and quirks you have accumulated over the years. “WHAT? I thought singing, acting, and dancing in 5 different styles WAS considered a special skill!!” Think again -- time to go memorize the alphabet backwards, pick up knitting, karate, yodeling, skateboarding, and underwater basket weaving. Oh, and don’t forget to work on your back tuck. Best of luck!

3. Memorization

When your friend comes over and decides to flip through one of your notebooks, there is a 76.7% chance that every page will be filled with the same paragraph written over and over and over and over and over and over. With the occasional mistake here and there, of course.

4. Should I Get a Haircut?

UH... NO. DO NOT CUT OR COLOR YOUR HAIR WITHOUT ASKING THE DIRECTOR WELL IN ADVANCE.

5. Hold Your Tongue

As much as you want to tell your peer sitting next to you to knock it off, you must think first and then choose to hold your tongue. You spend nearly every class of the day with your small, selected MT class. These are the students who you will graduate with after four years of opening up, breaking down your bad habits, and overcoming your insecurities. You must trust them and earn their trust in return. One day these eight or ten or fifteen people will no longer be the students you sit next to in a classroom, but they will become your colleagues, contacts and biggest advocates. It’s better to hold your tongue on the little stuff than burn a bridge and ruin a friendship.