Fight Drama With Drama: How The Arts Taught Me To Navigate Life

I’ve been shy since I was a young girl, and I wouldn’t consider myself to be naturally outgoing; speaking in social situations was my worst nightmare! When I joined a performing arts academy called Pauline Quirke Academy (PQA), which runs Acting, Musical Theatre and Film & TV classes, at 13, my shyness was very apparent (as a certain teacher kindly likes to remind me of… thanks, Humza!!). I think the root of that shyness came from immense fears of embarrassing myself or being awkward - a fear that was present in acting as well, making me afraid to put myself out there and preventing me from properly engaging with, and enjoying, acting. The reason I think drama, or the arts in general, has such an impact in helping people grow is because it forces you to take a chance. You have to be open to trying new styles, new approaches and, above all, to forget any worries about looking stupid. As I got older and continued acting at PQA, as simple as it sounds, I learned not to take myself so seriously - that it was alright to look ‘ridiculous’ or to try out new things, and that, even if they didn’t work, creative ideas are always worth pursuing. While learning to take chances and ignore apprehensions was one of the biggest factors in helping my confidence grow, it did so much more than just this - it really changed my mentality to life, and I’d say that it made me more easy-going and open to things not going to plan.

In addition to acting teaching me new lessons, it became a source of stability and creativity when I needed that the most. For me, Sixth Form and A-Levels was an incredibly tough transition, where everything felt new; I was overwhelmed by a constant stream of work and thinking about the future. The most helpful thing for me was knowing that I could go to PQA every week - I had something constant in a time of intense change and uncertainty and some kind of escapism from this. I think the arts being a form of escapism for so many people is what makes it so powerful - you can just leave all your worries at the door and immerse yourself into other people’s stories and characters instead, which is such a unique thing to be able to do. So, when school work felt consuming and too much, I was able to take a break and be creative again through drama, taking some time for myself and doing something I loved. I truly believe that drama is such a useful thing for secondary school students to do because of this - having the opportunity to create something yourself and have ownership of it - instead of feeling overwhelmed by work that feels useless and demanding - helped me cope with school, as I’m sure it does for many other people my age.

Whilst the actual art of acting itself taught me so much and helped me in many different ways, it was also the environment I was in that allowed me to grow as a person. As I’ve said, one of the best lessons I gained from acting was to take chances and put myself out there; without such supportive teachers who encouraged all of our ideas and gave us advice, I don’t think I would’ve been able to do this. Having people who believe in you and express their pride in you is, I think, one of the main reasons that I, and lots of people, grew so much in confidence through these classes. You feel so comfortable trying new things because of all the encouragement you receive - the feeling of having someone believe in you when you don’t believe in yourself yet is so motivating, and I’m constantly grateful that I got this. Having such a great support network is why, I think, so many people turn to and feel at home within the arts. It is a place of acceptance where you feel comfortable enough to be yourself, and you’re supported in so many ways; having a place where you can get advice about anything, even matters outside of acting, is something so rare that I feel lucky to have got. So many of the teachers I’ve known were incredibly perceptive and thoughtful, so to be able to talk to people like that is something that helped me and other people in my group more than I can write in words.

Due to the teachers and the people you perform alongside in acting, and in all the arts, there’s a real sense of community and being part of something. Being with everyone right before a show starts, feeling so proud of how hard everyone’s worked, and being so excited to get out and perform with them are some of the best feelings I’ve ever experienced. It’s such a unifying experience, and the friendships you make through the arts are so special. My friends and I from PQA have always found it funny that although we would see each other for just 3 hours a week, we felt so immensely close to each other. I believe this is because you all have a shared love of the same thing; being able to share something so creative, to be able to play off of one another’s energy when acting, is so connective, and allows you to form such close bonds. It’s also very special that you’re part of a judgement-free place; being able to be as silly as you want and feeling safe enough to be vulnerable in an emotional monologue/ scene, personally, felt very freeing to me and is no doubt one of the reasons I was able to come out of my shell. I think it’s so beneficial for younger people to feel the sense of community that the arts provide - it helps to bring people together through a shared passion and is a place where you can really feel supported and like yourself.

Overall, I consider being part of a performing arts group to be a really formative part of my life. I went from 13 to 17 years old there, and a lot of the changes I’ve had as a person, I attribute to the arts. I’ve always thought that it helped me to grow in confidence, but writing this has made me realise just how much of my personality and mindset have been altered by acting over the last 4 years. It has helped me grow in so many different ways, which is what I think the arts does for people - you learn lessons that are transferable to life, and just being a part of something so incredible has such an impact on people’s lives. As corny as it may sound, I think acting’s been there for me when I needed it the most; I would be a completely different person without it, the lessons it has taught me, and the people I’ve met through it.