Fall At W&M

Hello readers. Have you missed me? I’ve missed you. Unfortunately for me, my computer crashed and I’ve been living off of the computers in swem for the last two weeks while Apple kindly fixes my computer for me and tries to retrieve all the missing data. Anyhoo, I have been keeping busy and would like to update you on all of my going ons here on campus. Let’s begin.

First, I was honored to get cast in a student directed play. The play was called Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde. It was written by Moises Kaufmen, the creator of the Techtonic Theater Project. You might know him as the author of the play The Laramie Project. This show was similar to The Laramie Project because it utilized narrators and side stories. It is about Oscar Wilde and the trials brought against him by the Marquess of Queensberry and the Queen of England for being a homosexual. It was a very cleverly written show. The cast was small, nine members, only three girls. What was great about the cast was that it was a mix of students who were theater majors and non-theater majors. There were freshman, sophomores, juniors, seniors, transfer students. We were a pretty diverse cast. I played multiple roles in the show, most notably, Constance Wilde, Queen Victoria, the judge, and a press woman. Being a part of a student run production and having so many different roles allowed me to play with the characters and how they act, talk, stand, walk, and discover and create little quirks and back stories. It also allowed me to work with a really talented senior director, Kristin Pilgrim,  who had a vision and was able to execute it. She enlisted a student staff as well. The shows lighting designer, costume designer and stage managers were all students and some of them were freshman. The department had faith in this student, the cast, and the show she chose to direct. The show sold out two of the three nights we were open, and we had to consider giving a fourth show as there were so many people turned away. Having a part in this show allowed me to see just how much faith the theater department puts into its students. It takes risks on the students and gives guidance where needed. At the end of it all the show was a huge success, and having been a part of it is something I will cherish and try to never take for granted.

After the show was over I threw myself into working and midterms to prepare and do well for one of the best times of the year: HOMECOMING!

Homecoming at W&M is like homecoming nowhere else. Alumnus from all over return to campus to reunite, watch football, eat good food, and enjoy the William and Mary atmosphere one more time. I love homecoming because it is not just a time for me to show some extreme “Tribe Pride,” but it is also a time for me to see old friends who have graduated. I love hearing all about their successes after W&M, how life is like in the real world. I heard stories about Teach for America, working in law firms, acting in New York, grad school, and much more. W&M truly provides its alums with so many opportunities for the future. Talking to these old friends really helped calm any fears about the job market! It was also a lot of fun getting to hang out with my friends here and have a good time cheering on W&M football at the football game. The Leafe also sponsored a tailgate for students with lots of delicious food! I can’t really believe that I only have one more year after this one before I am an alum as well. It is not something I am ready for, but I am going to try to soak it up as much as possible.

One last thing I love about fall here at William and Mary is just how breathtakingly beautiful it is. When the leaves are all changing and the sun is setting over the sunken gardens it is so gorgeous it almost looks fake. Sometimes instead of taking pictures I take memories. Those are some of the memories I know will last with me for a lifetime. Happy fall!