Blog blog blog. How do I write a blog...
Elisa Academy was a real game changer for me. Before joining, I had already done musicals, singing and acting, so being on stage wasn't something new to me. However, I was mostly doing things based on instinct. I could feel what I was doing, but I didn't really understand the technical side of it or why certain things worked.
When I first started at Elisa Academy, I wasn't sure if I wanted to continue with it. I really enjoyed the first few weeks, but it took some time before everything started to click. Once I began connecting what I was doing with the technical aspects, I started enjoying it even more. I was learning so much and although it could sometimes be frustrating not to understand everything straight away, I kept on keeping on.
I remember the first presentation I did there. When I got home that day, I cried because I felt so fulfilled. I think that was the moment I realised I really wanted to continue doing this and pursue it further as a study.
I think about a year later, when auditions came around, I was really hesitant to apply. I didn't feel like I was good enough or that I deserved an opportunity like that. It took a lot of encouragement and conversations before I finally decided to just go for it. I took Richai's word to heart. My motto, that whatever the outcome, I would be happy that I had at least tried, because it was something I genuinely wanted. When I got accepted at ArtEZ, IT WAS HUGE. It gave me a lot of confidence and made me realise that I was capable of more than I thought.
Even now, I notice how much I still use what I learned at Elisa Academy in my current studies. The technical knowledge and the confidence I gained have really helped me. Of course, I still have moments when I doubt myself, but I've learned to push through those feelings and keep going.
Moving to the Netherlands wasn't exactly easy, especially when the homesickness started to kick in. I think the hardest part was getting used to not seeing my family as often as I used to. Other than that, I adapted relatively quickly. I try to stay open to new experiences, meet people and just take things as they come. I live by the mindset of treating others the way you want to be treated.
Starting my studies and going through introduction week was a completely different experience. I was so excited and happy to finally be there, although I was also absolutely exhausted. There was just so much information to take in, and my first week is honestly a bit of a blur.
Every day brought something new. We had presentations, met new people, learned about the programme and discovered all the different opportunities within our field. I was trying to take in as much as possible and at the same time, I was loving every second of it. Still, adjusting to a new country and being away from home took some getting used to. I remember calling my mom quite often during those first few weeks. Every time we spoke, I would end up telling her how much I loved my subject, how much I was learning and how excited I was about everything while homesick was kicking my ass.
I also felt this huge urge to go home and share everything I was learning with other people, i still do actually. I realised how much I enjoyed not only learning about my subject but also the idea of passing that knowledge on to others who are just as interested in it.
"I feel incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to study something I'm so passionate about and I want to make the most of it."
Looking back, I think I've grown a lot and I feel like I'm exactly where I want to be, at least for now. I'm still learning, still figuring things out and still discovering new things about myself and my subject muziek theater. 'Muziek als de motor gebruiken.' I still don't know exactly what that means but we ball. I know that I really enjoy what I'm doing and I'm excited to see where it takes me.
With love,
Alumni Reflection #4