By: Emily Tate
It’s hard to believe that my journey at Juilliard is coming to a close. It feels like just yesterday I arrived as a freshman, wide-eyed and hungry to learn. During that first week of school our modern teacher, Laura Glenn, told us that “September will feel like forever and then you will graduate.” In that moment four years seemed like a lifetime and the end was so far away it was impossible to see. But now that graduation is only six months away, time seems to have sped by like the express train flying by the 66th street subway station.
At the very beginning of this year, it seemed that we all came into school with a comfortability, maturity and confidence that only comes with the experience of surviving, and hopefully thriving, through the three previous years here at Juilliard. Graduation seemed distant enough that there was a brief period of time that we felt unstoppable and happy to finally be at the top of the school. Reality quickly set in on the first Monday morning in our Senior Production class.
At the very beginning of this year, it seemed that we all came into school with a comfortability, maturity and confidence that only comes with the experience of surviving, and hopefully thriving, through the three previous years here at Juilliard. Graduation seemed distant enough that there was a brief period of time that we felt unstoppable and happy to finally be at the top of the school. Reality quickly set in on the first Monday morning in our Senior Production class.
We discovered the great amounts of responsibility and work that we were taking on to create a one of a kind performance project as a class and all that it would take to complete this final year. Every day something new seemed to be piled onto our workload; auditions, video reels, resumes, Senior Showcase preparations, New Dances rehearsals, student workshop rehearsals, Senior Production deadlines, headshot photoshoots, seminars, academics and don’t forget our regular class schedules. (And when do you find time to do laundry?) Needless to say, senior year is busy! But even amidst this intense, fast paced schedule, I am doing my best to enjoy my time here while it lasts. The weeks go by so quickly and before you know it we will all be in caps and gowns accepting our diplomas.
Being a dancer at Juilliard during any year is a roller coaster with many ups and downs, twists and turns. But being a senior at Juilliard is unique in many ways because it comes with so many mixed emotions. In one moment I am excited to graduate and I feel ready to begin my own adventures without the structure of school, but in the next moment I am scared to be on my own without the support system and safety net that being a student has provided me. Facing the unknown of life after graduation is full of questions. What will I do after graduation? Where will I live? How will I make money? What kind of performing do I want to do? All of this uncertainty can feel stressful, but it is also incredibly exciting. For the first time in our lives we are making all of these decisions about our lives as independent adults. We are taking flight and fortunately, we have a pretty amazing jumping off point.
As I anticipate the beginning of my own career and life ahead, I am more and more grateful for the many friends and supporters I have from the Juilliard community that will continue to influence and contribute to my life post graduation. Thank you for being one of them and thank you for coming with the senior class on our journey to Senior Production 2015. We look forward to seeing you at our performances in April where we will conclude this process and our four years here at Juilliard.
To wrap up this blog post I asked my fellow classmates to share three words that encompass what being a senior is to them. So here are a few of our three word summaries.
Being a dancer at Juilliard during any year is a roller coaster with many ups and downs, twists and turns. But being a senior at Juilliard is unique in many ways because it comes with so many mixed emotions. In one moment I am excited to graduate and I feel ready to begin my own adventures without the structure of school, but in the next moment I am scared to be on my own without the support system and safety net that being a student has provided me. Facing the unknown of life after graduation is full of questions. What will I do after graduation? Where will I live? How will I make money? What kind of performing do I want to do? All of this uncertainty can feel stressful, but it is also incredibly exciting. For the first time in our lives we are making all of these decisions about our lives as independent adults. We are taking flight and fortunately, we have a pretty amazing jumping off point.
As I anticipate the beginning of my own career and life ahead, I am more and more grateful for the many friends and supporters I have from the Juilliard community that will continue to influence and contribute to my life post graduation. Thank you for being one of them and thank you for coming with the senior class on our journey to Senior Production 2015. We look forward to seeing you at our performances in April where we will conclude this process and our four years here at Juilliard.
To wrap up this blog post I asked my fellow classmates to share three words that encompass what being a senior is to them. So here are a few of our three word summaries.
- Vulnerability, Excitement, Trust
- Leadership, Maturity, Ambition
- Fulfilling, Thrilling, Emotional
- End, Unforgettable, Beginning
- Complexity, Confidence, Culmination
- Frontier, Unreal, Accomplishment
- Vibrant, Revelatory, Bittersweet
- GET. ME. OUT. lol jk! … Anxious, Armed, Gracious
- Loving, Learning, Connection
- Goals, Aspirations, Achievement
- One, Last, Dance