That dreaded question. I always find it amusing, the reactions I get from telling people I’m a theater major. The range of responses from “Well, what do you want to do with that?” to looks of sympathy or little chuckles like I’ve just told some funny joke. I often think about how grateful I am to have realized what I wanted to do with my life, and terrified because wanting to be an actor isn’t the most practical career. However, I wouldn’t change my major for anything. How many other people can say that?
When you are a part of TheaterCNU, you often have the chance to attend workshops. Sometimes, those workshops are led by TheaterCNU alumni who can teach on a wide range of subjects from fighting on film to auditioning to learning what you can do with your degree. So, obviously, I went to that last one in hopes of getting sage advice that would just make everything click. I was hoping to learn from the alumni, and they didn’t disappoint.
The alumni gave us so much useful advice. They made me think about how the things I’m learning here can be translated into so many different other things. They reassured us that even if we don’t choose to continue on with theater we have gained many valuable skills that can be used in a variety of ways. Theater majors usually have excellent communication and public-speaking skills, and are also great at making themselves look as good as possible to potential employers.
Let’s face it: we are pretty awesome. But, this post was not meant to be “100 Reasons Why You Should Be A Theater Major.” The point of my first post was to let you know that it’s OK to have doubts. It’s fine if you need to be undecided until you find the right major that suits you. It’s also fine if you realize your senior year that the major you are in is not what you want to do with your life. The reason CNU is so amazing is that by the time you’re almost done here, you feel like you are ready to take on the world no matter what comes your way.
