By: Taylor (Residence Advisor — Korea-UBC)
I am an Acting major. You do not encounter us particularly often, because within the UBC community of approximately 50,000, there are only 42 of us in our entire program.
On a typical day, I wake up at 8:15 for a 9am class, throw on some comfortable clothes, fill a water bottle, and then I am out the door and off to Binnings. All of our days start with an individual warm-up, which allows us time to check-in with ourselves. As an actor, you are often told to “leave your issues at the door,” so I take this time to acknowledge any physical or emotional issues I that may be having that day so they do not catch me by surprise while I work.
We then move on to group warm-up, followed by a variety of exercises, depending on the focus of the day. Our week is split into three elements: Voice, Movement, and Acting. We are currently learning about body alignment, breath, and the aspects of storytelling. Each day is different, and every day comes with its own challenges.
We finish in the Studio at 1, and after class I like to spend an hour practicing, to help cement what we learned that day. Then, I will have a quick lunch and buckle down to do work for my other classes, as we are required to take 48 credits outside of theatre. I personally enjoy Linguistics, but it can be difficult finding courses that fit into my schedule. Online courses have been a blessing. When I have time in the evening I like to go out and watch live theatre; as an artist, I think that it is so important to support the Arts. Then I head to bed, wake up and do it all again the next day!
Sometimes I am asked why I have decided on a career that can be so difficult and uncertain. I think that I am looking for the same thing that every other UBC student searches for – fulfillment. When I tell people that I am an Acting Major, they often look at me questioningly, not seeming to understand that they could not ask me a single question that I have not asked myself a hundred times. I have chosen this career path because it is my passion. I consider myself so lucky that I get to spend my university days, and hopefully the rest of my life, pursuing an avenue that gives me joy.
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