When you are younger, you think hopes and dreams and determination can get you through anything, help you achieve everything you can dream of. Inevitably, as you get older, you learn life isn't so kind. I learned this too, when I learned firsthand just how hard it was to try to make it as an aspiring actress, and that was only in high school. So, I changed my methods. Double majoring wasn't something I thought of doing consistently. Rather, I failed to get into any of the theatre programs I applied for and instead got in for one of the most prestigious writing departments in the nation. But theatre was my guiding light, so I decided I would do both. There are people - very narrow-minded people - who think complete devotion to their art will be what brings them glory. I think differently. In the modern entertainment industry, it isn't enough just to be able to 'act well' and 'enjoy doing it'. No actor or actress is a one-trick pony anymore - every single one of them would also be a model, or a dancer, a singer, do crazy stunts, speak four different languages, play sports, produce, direct. You name it, someone is probably doing it. That's why I decided for me, my writing will support my acting. Writing means scripts. It means plays and movies and TV that could get me through doors that only acting may not. And by writing characters myself, it would force me to think deeper about any roles I take and what the writer of that script would have thought about this character. I would be further pondering their history, their relationships, their motives, because I would know, firsthand, just how much time and effort went into creating every character. This isn't specific to writing, either. Liberal arts is literature. History. Psychology. Philosophy. So many others. Liberal arts provides valuable context to a character: their culture, philosophy, even political or religious motives that would help in analyzing a character in a more complex way. But it not only allows us to look deeper around the characters but internally as well, connecting otherwise separate trains of thought and reasons for specific conflicts to create a more fleshed out character. And most importantly, a liberal arts education prepares students not just for a career in acting but related fields as well. Even if there are actors, there are countless other roles that go into creating a film, TV show, play or musical. Stage management, directors, producers, lighting, sound, costume and makeup design, screenwriters, the list goes on and on. It allows you to gather skills that add to the acting repertoire you have to create a more well-rounded artist. It means there are paths you can still take if you decide theatre maybe isn't right for you. Food for thought.