I’m a junior in high school. I’m also involved with two productions outside of school right now. So how do I balance theater life and my school life? It’s not an easy process and it definitely takes some getting used to, but I’m here to help you find a way in your life to make time for good grades and also to be able to continue your passion.
Being in high school and actively in multiple theater productions at the same time is very stress-inducing. Some nights I feel like I want to rip my hair out, and my weekends are so overtaken by rehearsals that I have to scavenge to find a few minutes here and there to do my weekly assignments. Over the years, I’ve found my stress level going down, not because I stopped my extracurricular activities, but because I’ve made time in my life and balanced theater with my other activities. Here’s my advice so you can do the same.
First things first, you have to take your time adjusting to a new hectic schedule. If you’re in your junior year, don’t sign up for multiple outside commitments if you already know your schoolwork is going to be challenging. Now you may be wondering why I don’t take some of my own advice, but this is about my fifth year doing major productions in the fall and spring on top of school. So I feel comfortable doing two productions at once because I have been forced to learn how to manage my time.
Secondly, you have to prioritize. It may seem really tempting to learn your new monologue from the play you’re in instead of doing your algebra homework. But if your homework is due tomorrow, and the play is in two weeks you need to understand when you have to buckle down and get things done.
Another thing, don’t overload yourself. If you play three sports, are president of student council, have three hours of homework a night, and want to audition for a musical that has rehearsal four times a week, you should take a step back and understand what is feasible for you to accomplish.
Lastly, you have to love what you’re doing in order to balance your life around that one activity. The only reason I immerse myself in so much theater outside of school every semester is because it is my passion. It’s never been easy, and some nights I feel like quitting because I think there is too much on my plate. But if you take a step back and realize that theater is what is making you happy and shaping you into the person you’ve always wanted to be, you will find that balance. You might stumble a little and shed some tears in the process, but I promise it will come.