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One Student Looks Back
"I was really nervous to graduate college..."
As any performing arts major, I was uncertain of my future. I was scared I would never see my friends again. I was scared I would never be cast in another play. I was scared that I would move to NY, live in a rat infested hole-in-the-wall for six or so weeks, fail miserably and move back in with my parents where after a few months of waiting tables at Mongolian Grill, my mother would finally convince me to get that teaching degree.
That said, graduation is such an emotional, scary transition. To be honest, I tried never to think about it. When the thought of leaving my professors, friends, and the comfort of school entered my mind I would cry. What do you do right after graduation? What next? There are endless possibilities. Do I go straight to NY? Do I spend some time home to save money? Do I do summer stock? I was nervous that if I didn't go straight to NY, I would chicken out and never get there.
So I made that decision, OK, I am going right to the city after graduation. Then what? Halfway through senior year, I found out about SpringboardNYC, an orientation/theatre business intensive for young people embarking on their theatre careers. At first it sounded too good to be true. I would see shows, meet famous people, and learn the ropes that would help me get started in New York City. The first day I received a schedule of the intensive, I was truly amazed. Meeting Hal Prince, Audition Master Classes with Lonny Price, Actor's Survival Guides, and agents galore, were among the topics to be covered � not to mention seeing Broadway shows.
I was not scared of graduation anymore. I had something great to look forward to after college. I felt like 20 pounds of bricks were lifted off my shoulders. Graduation came and went; it was not an emotional experience at all. Saying good-bye to professors can be sad, but it�s all about moving on. My fears of going to NY were gone.
SpringboardNYC was better than any one of us could have imagined. It broke down every aspect of the business. We talked about finding an apartment, getting a day job, and alternative theatrical careers. We all now have a connection to several television casting directors, a major commercial agent, and one of the biggest legit agencies in NY. More than half my class has worked professionally since graduation, myself included. SpringboardNYC will give you that extra confidence you need to make it in this business. I would do it again in a second.
-Sara M., SpringboardNYC 2002 Participant
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