What's life like as a theater major at 火博体育大学?

Hi! My name is Ayesha and I’m a theater major from Hong Kong and the Philippines. 我们最近发出了一个呼吁 在Instagram for questions about my experience here at Skid更多The and I'm excited to answer them 为你. 

I’ll start by sharing a little bit 更多The about me: Beyond the work I’ve done for my 少校，我也演过 火博体育戏剧学院 and written for its newsletter, served as president of the 国际学生会, headed up publicity for and sang at campus events, and worked in our 招生 办公室.

问:你最喜欢火博体育的什么?

A: My favorite thing about Skid更多The is the freedom to pursue all academic interests, 不管你的专业是什么. I’ve taken classes in theater, history, 英语, Asian studies, Latin American studies, geoscience, environmental science, and 日本, 举几个例子.

问:你为什么选择火博体育? 

A: 的 London 第一年的经验 was really appealing to me. 这表明火博体育 trusts students to be independent and study abroad as early as their first semester. You also have two Skid更多The professors and a peer mentor (a student) to accompany you, 所以你在国外还有资源.

As someone who grew up in a big city, I loved the idea of having campus life and a 密切的社区. And realistically, as an international student, 萨拉托加温泉市 is a lot easier to travel to than a lot of other college towns. 它很漂亮而且 three hours away from New York City, Boston, and Montreal. 火博体育平衡了我所有的 需要好.

的 biggest reason, though, is the importance Skid更多The places on not just academics, but all aspects of student life — such as extracurriculars, food, and mental health — which made it easier to envision being here despite not having the chance to visit, 因为我当时住在新加坡!

Q: What have been some of your favorite courses at Skid更多The?

A: 的ater for Social Change, Advanced Acting Practices, Beginner’s Swim, History of Modern Japan, and Mixed-Race Representation on Stage & 电影. 通常是因为 it’s a class where I learned something totally new or learned to see something I already 从另一个角度喜欢.

Q: What types of shows does Skid更多The 的ater put on?

A: We want to be diverse and have meaningful representation in the work we put on. You might see stories of/by/for BIPOC, LGBTQI+, female, and other marginalized communities, a student-directed show, a new play written by someone in the department, etc. 的 可能性无穷无尽!

Q: If you could give advice to a first-year theater major, what would it be?

A:积极参与，尝试新事物. 有机会表演、写作、导演， do lights and sound, be a dramaturg, try theater management. 我们也有不同的 courses in theater and climate change, sound design, mixed-race representation, and 更多The.

Q: Do you have to be a theater major to get involved in theater at Skid更多The?

答:不! And this applies to all the majors here at Skid更多The. 你可以去上课 in any major that’s not your own, be part of any extracurriculars, or attend any department events because it’s just such an open and welcoming place.

Q: What was the application process like at Skid更多The?

A:这个过程本身很简单. 你只需要登录Common App，或者Coalition App, and we don’t even have supplemental essay questions. 就我个人而言，我正在寻找 over my essay a million times and I submitted it three minutes before it was due. 但一切都解决了.

Q: What is some encouragement and advice you’d give to anyone nervous about college 应用程序?

A: If you’ve done your research, Skid更多The can see that you’ve tried to challenge yourself academically, you have things you care about outside of the classroom, and you’ve tried to engage with the school through interviews, panels, and tours, you’ll be totally 细.

Q: What is one thing you find yourself most often doing for fun on campus?

A:参加俱乐部活动! I especially love open mics and karaoke nights, but you can also watch a comedy show, a sports meet, a music recital, do arts and crafts, trivia, celebrate different cultures and holidays, attend guest lectures/panels, and so much 更多The!

问:校外最好的活动是什么? 

答:吃! But I also like to take walks or ride the merry-go-round in Congress Park, and bowl or go to the arcade in Saratoga Strike Zone. 我们在萨拉托加也有音乐会 演艺中心(SPAC). 当我还是一年级学生时，Cardi B表演过 乔纳斯兄弟最近也在那里. 如果你喜欢徒步旅行，我们有 校园里的北森林，占地150英亩!

Q: What makes Skid更多The stand out from other schools?

A: 的 closeness of the community and how approachable our professors are. 去年, a professor of mine offered to pick up and drop off someone’s groceries in front of their door when they were in quarantine, and he’d also bring his puppy to class to 使我们更有活力.

毕业后你有什么打算? 

A: I’m on the lookout for jobs and fellowships related to theater, as I’m especially 对市场营销和管理感兴趣. 这是一个令人生畏，但令人鼓舞的统计数据 is that 85% of Skid更多The graduates find employment or further education within a year 毕业后的.