On the first day of fall break, I found myself on a stuffy, cramped Megabus to New York City. My poor mother helped me drag my suitcase to the bus station, and after I waved goodbye out the window, an old lady who reeked of soap and apples plopped herself down next to me. I didn’t care, though. I already had my NYC playlist blasting in my earbuds and I was silently and shamelessly rapping all of “Empire State of Mind.”
I had ventured to New York to visit my best friend Chloe, who, like me, wants to pursue a career in theater. Being the drama nerds we are, we centered the weekend around Broadway. We saw “Spring Awakening,” “Fun Home” and “Les Misérables.” We stood by the stage door to see our favorite actors, were randomly given upgraded seats in the second row at “Spring Awakening,” went backstage at “Fun Home” to meet an actor in the production and basically sobbed our way through each performance. If that wasn’t enough, I finally had the opportunity to belt out “Welcome to New York” in the middle of Times Square.
I didn’t know how much I needed this experience until I was immersed in the city and in the stories that unfolded before me onstage over those two days. That weekend was like the first warm day after a long winter; it was the spring day which makes you want to lie out on the grass and soak up the sun you’ve missed so much. I had forgotten how intense my excitement had once been to pursue the degrees and career I’m working toward. In the hustle and stress of my everyday workload at U.Va., I had lost sight of the reasons why I’m here at all.
It’s difficult to see the value in every music theory assignment, in each uninspired paper and in every early morning walk to a 9 a.m. class. It frustrates me immensely when I have to sign up for classes I am not the least bit interested in so I can fulfill requirements to graduate on time. Of course, doing things you don’t always want to do is part of life, and I do think it’s important to take classes outside your realm of immediate interests. However, it takes a toll on my overall well-being when I’m missing out on a class I’m aching to take just so I can get another general credit under my belt.
In the midst of these daily stresses, I’ve found it incredibly relieving to remember that each piece of work and effort I make here fits into a bigger picture. Because my mind is often clogged up with details of how I’m going to get all my work done, I don’t always think about why I’m working toward the things I’m striving for. Taking a minute to remember the moments that have shown me what I want to do with my life — moments like my trip to New York — is rewarding, soothing and exhilarating. Now I remind myself daily that I want to work in theater because I want to change and heal people with the power of storytelling. To be able to do this — and, really, to be able to accomplish any aspiration — I have to do the nitty gritty work that might not be immediately fulfilling.
Amidst the stress of our everyday routines, we naturally lose our grip on the strength of our own passions. I’ve discovered, though, that finding a balance between admiring the big picture and working out the intricate details leave me feeling fulfilled and inspired to keep on keeping on. I hope that, during this crazy time of year, we all hold onto the things that spark our passions. If you ever feel them slipping out of your mind, just remember New York is always a good idea.
Mimi’s column runs biweekly Fridays. She can be reached at m.robinson@cavalierdaily.com.
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