Back in high school, while everyone was sweating over TOEFL, SATs and essays, I got this wild urge to dive into musical theater. It felt insane, even to me. I mean, how could a kid steeped in liberal arts suddenly think about art school? So, I shrugged off the idea and dove back into the grind of exams and paperwork.

Fast forward to my senior year, applications done and dusted, and I'm eagerly awaiting responses. That's when I started dabbling in singing, dancing, and acting—nothing serious, just hobbies.

But when I decided on NYU, the theater bug bit me again. This time, I reached out to my voice teacher for advice. My parents weren't thrilled initially, but my determination won them over.

Before freshman year, I began plotting my move to New York. I scoured for classes, hunted down vocal teachers, and joined every theater club I could find. It was tough. I felt like a fish out of water, surrounded by talent. But I pushed through, enduring long commutes, stress-induced headaches, and cried in practice room by myself.

The journey was rough. I battled self-doubt daily, sacrificing sleep for rehearsals and essays. Yet, scoring a spot at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, along with a scholarship, made it all worthwhile.

And landing a spot in Emerson College's BFA Musical Theater program? That was the cherry on top. But I'm not stopping there. This is just the beginning of my journey to bigger stages.