Is This a College or a Daycare?

     So when I applied to college, I expected there to be many differences in the level of academic expectations in high school and in college.  But apparently some students were expecting the same level of coddling we received even before we reached the pubescent level. If high school was supposed to prepare you for college, then what does that say for the education many of us received.  I have met many students who will admit they made it through high school by a teacher holding their hand and walking them down the path.  While that is admirable to an extent on the teachers part, it's far from preparatory.  Don't expect a professor to suddenly make sure that you, student #356829875, pass their course with flying colors.
    Why are you so upset when the professor doesn't give you a review for the test?  THE CLASS IS A REVIEW FOR THE TEST. Pay attention. You expect a professor to let you miss class repeatedly, and you show up the class before the test and know exactly what to study? False!  Life doesn't work that way.  High school is over. You can't pull the same old stunts and expect these professors to cater to you. 
    Now I do not want it misinterpreted that I'm saying professors do not care about their students.  That is not the case.  I know many professors who do, in fact, care a tremendous amount about the well being and success of every student.  I just don't understand those people who expect professors to help them do their bare minimum in order to pass.  Now to any professor who might read this, keep giving reviews if you think they are needed, I appreciate them, and yet I also still attend your classes. I just don't understand the students who expect the professor to shape their lives and lesson plans around one person. 
    If high school was to prepare us for college, and college is to prepare us for the real world why would you expect any special treatment.  The real world isn't going to stop because you forgot to read the material or come to class prepared to work.  Time will go on, jobs will continue, companies will still make money and you may or may not be apart of that system.  So why not start now and prepare yourself for a shocking reality for many:  YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOURSELF.  No one else is going to help you pass, do your homework, or be the one to remind you of what you have to do.  In college it is you, sink or swim.
   Stop expecting others to do things for you, and take initiative and do it yourself.  Trust me in the long run you will appreciate those individuals who do help you out, if you don't expect it and are self-reliant.  Asking for help is always a good plan, but asking for someone to help carry you through a class because you purely don't want to do the work is unacceptable.  I don't expect someone else to learn my lines in a show, or to design a costume I'm working on, why then would you expect someone else to make sure your work is done.  A little self reliance is a powerful tool that every colelge student should learn. 
So tell me what you think out there? Am I wrong? Do you agree? I'd love to hear your thoughts.  And as always, sleep well, love one another, and remember: Life is a choice, choose wisely.

"But I play Baseball here"

I work at the front desk of one of the halls here on campus.  I tend to work closing shifts because they fit in well with my rehearsal schedule, and so therefore on weekends, or the occasional Thursday, I get to deal with those inebriated individuals who decide to stroll into the hall to collapse for the night. Tonight being one of those Thursdays, I have witnessed all stages of the aftermath of a party.  But the most interesting one to me, is when I had someone walk up to the desk and ask for his key, because he did not have his key, due to some unfortunate reason.  Well he had no form of id, and I had no record that he lived in this hall, at all. So according to the rules and laws of my job, I could not give him a key.  He paused and said, "But I play baseball here."And... that means what exactly? I was baffled. But then I started to think.
How many times has that actually worked for this guy.  How often had dropping his title as official member of the baseball team, given him some special privilege? Now I have nothing against athletes, some of my best friends have in fact played on the collegiate level in their respective sports,but in what instance does it become acceptable to expect to be treated differently based on the simple fact that they are on a team? Now I could understand if he had said it in a matter of fact way, to give me a clue as to who he was, but instead he said it in more of a, "this rule doesn't apply to me because of what I do sort of fashion."  Excuse me dear Mr. Athlete, I do not care if you played for the Yankees themselves, you don't get a key without id. You don't get anything as far as I'm concerned without working for it.  Catch 100 baseballs in a row, hit 1000 out of the park, and this will not change. 
I realize I tend to be slightly biased against the entitled jock character. I went to a small school were athletics ruled, even though they weren't always good at the sport, and theatre was underfunded and under appreciated, despite the number of trophies we claimed on the wall.   It would be the equivalent of me walking up to someone and saying, "but I am an actor." Congratulations, where is your ID? Where did this idea come from? Why has it worked? I simply do not understand. I, an honors student, which in theory exemplifies what getting an education is about, am not given special privilege on campus, why would anyone else receive it? But yet I have the sneaking suspicion that this little tactic has been used by more than one athlete and worked in their advantage. Which is simply disheartening.
The state is trying to cut our funding, the job market looks a little bleak, and this guy wants special privileges because he plays baseball. You've got to be kidding.
Hell, maybe I should learn to throw a curve ball. Apparently that works for some people. But not all of us are impressed and not all of us will EVER care. So sorry Mr. Athlete, you're just going to have to find some other desk assistant to weasel around the rules for you, because I most certainly will not. And I realize that this post will probably not change anyone's mind, but hopefully it will make someone chuckle or make someone pause and think. Or maybe it will just make someone have a little easier day knowing that in some small way, someone tried to maintain the balance, or tried to keep the peace.

Whatever the case, sleep well, love one another, and remember: Life is a choice, choose wisely.

To all theatre people everywhere

I posted a status last night that said stop using theatre as an excuse to be crazy.  Well I felt like now that I've started this blog it is the perfect opportunity to expand on my thoughts.

I don't understand this need to define your behavior as a byproduct of your degree. I find myself getting so annoyed by people who say things like "of course we're weird, we're in theatre." Well usually the person saying this is considered weird even by the people in the theatre department. Maybe you're weird because you're weird.  It is not because you are a technician or an actor, so stop blaming it on that fact.  You don't hear Math majors making excuses for being nerdy because they are math majors.  It is more often then not that they would already classify themselves as the nerdier of the bunch and became math majors rather than the other way around.  It is however perfectly acceptable to say, I'm weird so I chose theatre.  I understand many come to theatre because of the fact that they do not feel accepted in any other place, and theatre is known for it's accepting mentality.  But do not think that you're oddity is therefore reflected in the theatrical world.

Do us all a favor, if you're weird, be weird.  If you're crazy, be crazy.  But at the very least admit that you're not normal, and that it is a "you" thing, not an "us" thing.

And please don't misread this as me having anything against someone who is "weird" or unusual. I am totally fine with people being whoever and whatever they are, but please, while you may enjoy shouting inappropriate things, and discussing things that most other would consider less than acceptable, don't blame it on your experience in theatre, blame it on your love of attention or whatever.  Be weird, embrace it, just don't try and pin it on someone else.

First One: The Greeting.

Hi, I'm sure we've met before if only briefly, and I'm sure that I said hello or smiled as any polite Southern boy would do. I'm also sure that you were probably caught off guard by my height, most people are.  I'm you're run of the mill 6'5", southern, informed, polite, sweet, honest, and friendly theatre major.

So what is the whole point of me writing the things I intend to on here? I'm glad you asked.  I am young, and I'm aware of my youth, but I'm also aware that just because I am young does not mean I am dumb or unaware of what is going on around me.  So this is my point of view, what I see, what I think, what I feel, and what it all means to me.  I am aware many will write this off as trite or simplistic but I'm going to make this as honest and thought provoking as I can.

So sit back, read, and enjoy the ride, because with my life who knows where this blog will go.