"What do I wish I would have heard from someone in the last two years?"

That's a big question. The last two year gave me the some of the best experiences I've had in this department as well as some of the most difficult times. I'm sure many can relate, a pandemic is one of those things that kind of puts everyone in something of the same boat. But you know, life lessons and whatnot, right? So more seriously what would those be? What advice would I give to little me? What do I wish someone did tell me? I could go on and on, make a letter that is nothing but more questions, variations of this same question. And that does seem to be what my life is currently composed of: questions. Never-ending, increasingly stressful, and still unanswered questions. So I suppose I wish that I had more assurances and reminders that sometimes it doesn't all come together. Sometimes it all falls apart. Sometimes we fall apart. While neither of these things are fun, they happen, they are part of life and that's okay. Oftentimes there is a lesson to be learned from when things fall apart, the experience informs us in some way. Where am I going with this? Another question. I suppose that what I'm trying to say is that yes to the crazy and the chaotic. It might not work out how you want it to, but learn to be okay with that. Nothing will be as helpful as learning to be okay with how things actually happen. It will save you from constantly feeling like you have lost something. As theatre people I think a lot of us know too well how easy it is too get our heads stuck in the clouds, to have an idea that you grow so attached to and even though you know it's unrealistic you can't help but hope that somehow it will happen. I don't want to tell you not to do that, because I have tried and utterly failed at not building unrealistic hopes that my personal experience tells me to advise you to save your energy. Avoid unrealistic expectations, it's the expectations that will drown you. But keep hoping and keep dreaming. Also last but most definitely not least, don't feel guilty for your limits. This is a department filled with intelligent, talented, and frankly intimidating individuals. Which is a wonderful thing, but don't let it get to you that you're not the same type of talented and intelligent as someone else. Focus on you, your growth, your education, your opportunities, and make the most of them. I know you'll do amazing and just remember to breathe and enjoy the ride, it is certainly a wild one.