Overcoming Fear and Finding Yourself by Andrea

Overcoming Fear and Finding Yourself by Andrea - March 2017 Scholarship Essay

Palms sweating, teeth chattering, goose bumps tingle from my head to my toes, losing all train of thought. Questions pop up, “What did I get myself into? I’ll forget my lines. I’m going to make a fool of myself!” Then suddenly, it all stops. That exhilaration and passion I feel on stage makes me realize who I am. Acting isn’t for the faint of heart, but playing different characters opened up my life and made it full.

I was eleven years old when I had my first audition. I had just come to a new school, a new state, desperately trying to conquer my anxiety and shyness I found my, “start over button.” I can still hear the announcement in my ear, “Attention Students: Auditions for Miss Nelson Is Missing are today. Everyone is welcome”. My mother’s voice in my head was telling me, “Come on! This could be your chance to made some friends, don't be stuck in the house all day! It’ll help you in the long run I promise”. From that day on, I’ve auditioned to be in more than 20 productions and have never regretted a single one. As a small child my dream was to become a Disney Princess, for they had not only the beauty but the optimism I strive for. Entertaining is addictive. I feed off the audience’s laughter, their tears, and even their applause where I just exude enormous strength to carry on. While in a theater production, I start looking beyond the show itself. I was the princess I dreamed of being and Theater was my prince charming. Through it I found family, friendship, rejection, acceptance, and love. All of which are the key components that make up me.

Not only is Theater a passion of mine, it gave me some valuable life and coping skills that will last a lifetime. One handling rejection; never to give up on my dreams and to focus on future endeavors. It has given me the confidence that will help for job interviews to come. It has broadened my intellect mentally and physically to where I could accomplishment anything my heart desired. My favorite actor Johnny Depp once said, “With any part you play, there is a certain amount of yourself in it. There has to be, otherwise it’s just not acting...It's lying”.

Acting truly is a part of me, without it I would a nobody.