No Limits: Juilliard Orientation 2015 (Part 1)

#JuilliardJourney2015

Residence Hall Move-in was last Friday (August 28) and Orientation began the day after. I haven’t had time to write a blog entry because my laptop was acting up and I had to have several parts replaced so I was without a laptop for a couple of days. I was also busy with a lot of practical stuff such as setting up a US Bank Account (CHASE) and a US Number (T-Mobile). By this time, I’ve gotten my official ID and I am now a fully registered student at The Juilliard School!

Awesome Things:

1.     Bed, Bath and Beyond: All Juilliard Students were given 10% discount for Bed, Bath and Beyond from August 24 until September 7. They have EVERYTHING! It’s amazing.

Bed, Bath and Beyond!

2.     My room: My cousin Jerel (who took the amazing jump shot of me with 2 Philippine flags in front of The Juilliard School/Irene Diamond Building) helped me move in and make the Bed, Bath and Beyond shopping last August 28. It feels really, really good to have a room all to myself (I was supposed to have a roommate but she backed out). This was one of the things I really wanted, to be on my own.

3.     The view from our Residence Hall suite: I believe that the environment one surrounds oneself with affects one's physical, emotional, mental and spiritual well-being. I am grateful that I can wake up every morning and go to bed each night surrounded by some sort of beauty. And the solitude that I have somehow gives me strength.

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The view from our suite near sunset

The view from our suite at night

4.     Peter Jay Sharp Theater: The first time I walked in I was a bit freaked out by how similar it looked with the CCP Main Theater. Though smaller in scale, it has red curtains, red carpeted floors, “wooden walls,” and this really intricate lighting at the ceiling. It was like this new phase was indeed a natural next step from where I came before.

5.     Lila Acheson Wallace Library: When you get in and go towards the right you’ll see this old authentic jukebox with “REGINA” embossed on it.

The Peter Jay Sharp Theater

Each actor is connected to a specific area on the map

6.     Community: In one of the Carousel sessions on Academic Integrity, one of the speakers described Juilliard as an “uncommonly caring environment” that wants nothing more than to see its students prosper. I can definitely attest to that based on my experiences in speaking to Juilliard staff members from the different offices. It is a gift to be surrounded by superbly talented students from different performing arts fields nurtured by people who are truly committed in making sure that the students have everything they need to prosper.

Plus! Juilliard Drama made this Welcome Board for Group 48 (They name batches according to group number vs graduating year unlike what we do in the Philippines. So instead of calling us Batch 2019 they call us "Group 48"). They compiled all our pictures and linked them together based on which country each actor came from. 

Don’t get me wrong there are struggles that come with being an international student. I’m experiencing a mild form of culture shock but that should be reserved for another entry. 

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Do I feel homesick? At first no but it began to creep in early Thursday morning. I’ve got a beautiful picture of me and my siblings when we were little right on my desk. It kind of makes me regret not spending enough time with family while I was back home. Now things are moving pretty quickly and I do hope life will be kind to me and allow me second chances in the future. But I guess at this point it would be best to savor what is right in front of me because time never goes back. There are a couple of things I feel are unresolved and I am actively choosing to move towards “forgiveness” since I don’t think I can confront all life issues all at the same time.

A few things for the soul on my desk