Just wanted to take a minute and post something for those moms and kids who are now in the process of waiting… waiting for the next part of your life, waiting on an answer (sometimes praying for ANY answer), waiting while your friend’s kids or your best friends are already making their plans because they already know the school they are going to attend and might even already know their roommate situation. Know that IT IS going to be okay, you are going to move on to the next place in your life. Take the time to love your family, love your friends and LOVE yourself. As crazy, draining and exhausting as this time is right now, it is a time you will look back and have some great memories.
My daughter is now 2/3rds of her way through her first year in college and she is LOVING her program. So are her four best friends who are at 4 different MT programs… some big named schools and some lesser known schools. The good news??? ALL of them are growing and learning at pretty much the same pace.
Yes it does get stressful and there is always that gnawing fear that you haven’t done enough or auditioned enough or that your child may not be good enough. Try to breathe and remember you are a great parent in spite of or despite of the school they end up going to. You have been a warrior for your child…this is a brutal process and you have helped your child down a path to chase their dream. For that reason alone you have done enough. You are enough, they are enough. As my favorite verse says, “This too shall pass.” I can’t believe we were just in this place a year ago, it actually feels like a lifetime ago. Now the memories that I have are of the times my D and I had conquering the process TOGETHER. No one will ever take that time I had with her watching her step into her life. My prayers are will all of you… if ever you need a shoulder, please feel free to message me anytime!!
You are awesome @NAtlantaStudio!! Thank you so much! We are all in a fraternity/sorority we all probably didn’t want to join, however we are brothers and sisters in this. Thank you!!
Great post! I truly believe the biggest determining factor in a student’s success is their work ethic. I’ve been texting this morning with a former student who graduated from a school that is never mentioned on this forum because it is so small. He has busted his tush pursuing this career and in the last five years and I cannot remember a time span of more than two to three months where he did not have a significant gig. He just got a glowing review in a major paper and another mention in the Wall Street Journal for a regional production he is currently in. He’s a rising star in the industry and regularly getting roles over students from the “big schools.” He has made it all happen because of his drive and his never ending quest to succeed. Yes he got useful tools, good training, etc. from his degree program. But he didn’t have the same connections that the kids at the “big schools” had. He refused to let that stop him and he has been incredibly successful. It takes an insane work ethic to succeed in this business regardless of where you go to school. If you can instill that in your child, it is more valuable than any degree they could earn from any school. As long as they take ownership of their career they have a really good shot.
Thank you, @VoiceTeacher, as the mom of a kid who works like a demon (but who is not going to one of the marquee programs) I take heart from your example.
Ditto @Jkellynh17! I just got home from a benefit for a local theatre program where I saw 2 incredibly talented young performers, neither of whom were at tippy top programs, but one of them is currently in a Broadway show (1st audition after college & he booked it!), and the other was in a Broadway show that just closed. Your kids can do this, regardless of the name of the school - it’s the training they will get, wherever they are, and as @VoiceTeacher said, work ethic. I feel like all those people you didn’t want to hear when our kids were babies saying “enjoy this time, it goes by so quickly” and all you could think was, “Yeah, right, I just want to sleep!” ENJOY THIS TIME, IT GOES BY SO QUICKLY!!!
I very much agree! Whether we are discussing high schools or colleges or MT programs, I think what matters most in the end is the person, and not which school they attended. The school is important in terms of fit and that the student enjoys the experience and learns a lot. But what matters after they graduate really depends more on the person than their school. I truly believe a person can be a success coming out of ANY school. It matters what the person does in order to succeed. And especially in this field (though it’s true of all graduates), a person who takes initiative, has drive, is motivated, and has a strong work ethic, is more likely to succeed. It takes all that and more. The degree is important, but it is not what will really take you places. You really have to go after things and not wait for things to come to you. So, an inner drive and very strong work ethic is really going to help make things happen for these MT grads. That type of person is who I see doing well in their early careers, based on observations of the peers of my young adult professional actor/singer daughter.
Thanks! These are such encouraging posts to those students/performers that are just starting out and may be overwhelmed by all of the surrounding talent.
These posts are soooo what I needed to see today. One yes(yay), quickly followed by 2 nos, another audition, general exhaustion, waiting, waiting, waiting. D so far taking everything in stride, but quietly looks at the mail the minute she walks in the door every day. Grateful for the 1 yes, but hoping for more good news. As hard as other steps in this process were, the waiting is truly the hardest part. And I’m trying to stop obsessively checking email as I pour myself another glass of wine. It’s going to be a long next few weeks…
@mtflmomof1 I know you feel! As long as it feels before you know it you will be helping your daughter packing for college and that part will come too soon!!! I got to see my daughter in her first college show this weekend and it was AWESOME to see her doing so well and being so happy!!! That time will come for you as well!!
