"Anything goes," as the saying goes.
Tae Kwon Do, music, art, and friends have always been things that I have felt comfortable with. However, as a horse, according to Chinese astrology, I must also branch out and venture beyond of my comfort zone in order to achieve success. This summer, I stepped out of my comfort zone and performed onstage in the high school summer musical, which was my first experience doing so.
The most difficult aspect of taking this risk was overcoming my own mental obstacles, such as the sign that read, Jean, you have never taken a dancing lesson and have no idea how to sing or act. I believed that playing violin in the pit orchestra was my calling since I was afraid of feeling uncomfortable. However, after three years of pit orchestra experience, I yearned to be the star of the show in front of a live audience. I didn't tell my pals about my curiosity about what it would be like to perform onstage in front of an audience of eight hundred people. When I saw that the title of the musical for this past summer was Anything Goes, I knew that no one would be the least bit disappointed in me for following my dreams. I let go of my cautious Chinese approach to life, confident that my friends would support me, and allowed the free-spirited horse that lived within me to run free and play.
Despite my decision to take part in the musical, I was scared of what might happen. I was concerned about whether or not I would make any new friends and whether or not I would be able to improve my singing and dancing skills. Due to a leadership conference in New York City, I was unable to attend the first week of rehearsals, which increased my anxieties even further. When I arrived at my first rehearsal, having flown straight from New York City, my fortitude saved me from losing my cool. With confidence in my abilities and fond memories of New York City in my heart, I joined the rest of the cast and savored in the anticipation. I followed my new acquaintances with a passion for an art form that I had never heard of before, but was eager to learn about.
From that point on, I felt like a horse cantering around an open meadow with no cares in the world. A fresh perspective had been opened up to me and the grass looked greener than it had ever appeared before. Some days, I would come home with new dance moves to demonstrate to my parents. On other days, when my descriptions at the dinner table were insufficient, I created the drawings for my costumes. The make-up artist attempted three different shades of blush before finding the correct one, while the hair crew produced a fresh look for me each night. Having to come up with a different haircut for every occasion was a metaphor for my evolving perceptions of my life and self. Despite the fact that participation in the musical was initially terrifying, I soon realized that taking such a risk was the most effective method to learn and grow.
Because my comfort zone is expanding, I will no longer be intimidated by the prospect of performing in a musical. I hope to be able to include everything from singing and dancing to giving a sales pitch in front of judges; from learning how to perform precision front-flips and building my favorite piano repertoire; from designing a webpage to arranging chamber music and developing optics technologies; and everything in between. I will continue to be defined by my passions, which will also guide me toward my goals in life. Because I am a very impressionable human being, my learning experiences are constantly shaping and reshaping my character. As I continue to investigate, I am confident that my interests will come together to form a cohesive whole. Until then, I hope to continue to expand my horizons by taking advantage of new possibilities and never looking back.
