The clock in my dorm room currently reads 2:00 a.m. I should probably be asleep, but I am pondering what I should address in my first editorial of the 2023-’24 school year—a decision I probably will regret when I sluggishly wake up at noon tomorrow. Unfortunately, all I can think about as I attempt to write is the following: finishing college applications.

I assume that many others in the Class of 2024 feel the same. 

I will admit that the stress I have been feeling lately has caused me to act out of character, with my being less active in the group chat of my closest friends or underprepared for Acting Technique classes. However, I recently felt the consequences of allowing the impending fear of college applications to overwhelm me when one of my classmates claimed that it seemed impossible for us to exchange words without misunderstanding each other because we were both ridiculously on edge.  

Being the dramatic Theatre major that I am, this interaction led to my concerns regarding the fate of the IAA senior class. Are we going to spend most of our senior year worrying about where we will end up, unable to fully enjoy our eight months left on campus?

I come from South Korea, where citizens view college matriculation as the be-all and end-all. I grew up surrounded by people who fought tooth and nail to get into their top-choice college but felt so lost once they were accepted because they had no idea of what they wanted to do with their lives. Thus, coming to IAA was a drastic change. Most students here know exactly what they want to pursue in life, whether it be receiving the next Academy Award for Best Director, being the next recipient of the Pulitzer Prize, or dancing for the New York City Ballet. The rest, while undecided, have a deep passion for the arts, so much so that they attend a specialized school to further their education. For IAA students, a college education primarily consists of furthering their training in what they already study on campus. 

So, Class of 2024, I encourage you to find a balance between preparing for college and taking advantage of your surroundings. I am well aware that this is much easier said than done, but I hope you are able to find time during your day to “live in the moment.” Although this is a cliche statement often made by adults, the reality is that you only get to do high school once, let alone arts boarding school in the middle of the woods in Northern Michigan. Even if you are sweating over the prospect of filming pre-screens during the following weekend, try not to worry about that as you sit in your AP Calculus class. Be present instead; maybe even try talking to the quiet girl sitting next to you—who knows if she will be the next principal horn player of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. You might want to head to Corson Auditorium to appreciate the next Dance Showcase—then finish your music theory homework. Get a group of friends and head to Harvey Theatre to watch The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee—then head back to your dorm to edit your supplementary essays.

To be brutally honest, I am nowhere near finding a balance between those two aspects. Nevertheless, I hope to learn from those of you who have managed to do so. If we can encourage each other to take occasional breaks and “enjoy the ride,” I am confident that our senior year will not be a total train wreck. 

This is Katie Kim, wishing you the best of luck throughout this grueling yet exciting process. 

Project Arkifish would like to thank The Interlochen Times, our campus newspaper, for allowing us to present this story on Project Arkifish's website.