This whole past year has been a question of whether or not I really "fit in" at Rhodes. I know a fair number of people sharing similar sentiments regarding their choices of schools...The question is, if you were to even CONSIDER transferring, would you be able to find a better place?
Honestly, I don't know. If I wanted better Musical Theatre, I could go to OCU. However, I hate the location and the school itself isn't terribly impressive. I could go to UT for the huge size, for Austin, and for a greater diversity in the student population. They don't have a musical theatre major, though, so is it really what I want?
The more I read about liberal arts education, the better I feel about that part of my decision. However, I still feel as though my experience at Rhodes is lacking in a number of ways. One of my favorite, favorite castmates in Damn Yankees (Brenna Yeary) attended Randolph Macon Woman's College (now Randolph College) and she raved to me for a good twenty minutes about her unreal experience. The student teacher ratio 9:1, and they have all these crazy traditions and goofy days and (my personal favorite) secret societies.
Folks, I would love nothing more than to either a) be in a secret society b) start one. Obviously, since I'm broadcasting this information on my blog, I do not have one and cannot start one, but in my wildest dreams I would love nothing more. Brenna went on for ages about how fantastic the student population was and how even though it's now co-ed the guys are different--it definitely takes a certain kind of guy to be interested in what was recently an all women's college.
On a similar note, Brenna (can you tell I've found a minor role model?) studied abroad in England for a year and had the time of her life. This is wonderful news, considering I desperately desire to go second semester next year. The only thing that slightly worries me is that she has such an unbelievably positive outlook on life. You know how I always talk about how I love experiences and opportunities and like to think I'm pretty darn appreciative of them? Take that appreciation and multiply it by a thousand and you are sort of near the range of Brenna's enthusiasm. It makes it difficult for me to believe that she could find any experience negative.
Regardless, she got to talking about the "European attitude." [Keep in mind I'm constantly with five other girls--one of whom is married and has a child, but the others are all single, so boys tend to come up a fair amount.] Apparently English men (the way she tells it) simply have a different attitude altogether and an astounding confidence lacking in American men (and women for that matter.) The way she depicted it, men there can sense an energy about a woman, pick up on it (whether they think they have a chance with her or not) and just go right up and talk to her. Fancy that. And they have great hair. And dress well (without being constantly referred to as 'gay'!)
Anyway, all this talk about small schools, incredible educations (and the value of a good education), secret societies, and confident boys led me to one place this evening. And that place was youtube. (Surprised, anyone?) But do you know what movie I searched for? I bet you can guess...
Dead Poets Society.
This combination of confidence, secret societies, love of learning, and study abroad for some bizarre reason makes me want to hop on a plane to the Northeast and find some crazy women's school and join secret societies that have no sororities, no boys, no ridiculous cowboy hats, and produces people like Hilary Clinton and Katharine Hepburn. This sounds quite fabulous right now.
In all honesty, I think I could probably push myself to go to a women's college (even after 6 years of Hockaday) particularly since my opinion of men (pathetically enough) has plummeted further since my acquaintance with fraternity slobs and the boys who will undoubtedly invent something and make millions but in the meantime spend all their free time playing World of Warcraft in their rooms for hours. (Of course there are the gay ones, who for the most part are completely pleasant and who I seem to readily befriend in a matter of seconds) Still, the thought of finding nice, decent guys who have an appreciation for the arts and are still relatively well dressed and desire to be friends with me still remains a part of my vision for life so I guess I'll keep on with my coeducation:) (Ha, did you really think I could do single sex? Please...)
I am wishy washy. And confused. And frustrated. I want a big city and a school with diversity, but I want a crazy creative vibrant community. Does this even exist?
On an entirely separate note, I've found a delightfully large number of kids in this show (and others) who had nothing to do with being a music or theatre major at their schools. They've majored in everything from engineering, education, english, history, premed, and foreign language.
The actual theatre part of the education I could receive elsewhere might surpass Rhodes, but I'd rather be a well educated person who becomes a good actress than a decent actress whose one in a million but can't speak intelligently. Know what I mean?
This is another rant/ramble that's probably entirely incoherent, but it's got my juices flowing. (And it has my appreciation for liberal arts boosted to an extreme) So here's to Brenna.
And now I shall sleep. Good night.
1 comment:
aaaaaaand this is why i dropped the Theatre and Dance major at UT the first 3 days i got there. because after 2 summers of being with GSM and seeing people in their lives, with nobody having a BFA in Dance or Theatre, i was content with the fact that theatre would be my night job, and i would go to college to get a degree for my day job.
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