“I felt nervous [starting Thespians], as I did when starting any new thing. I was an extremely shy person, and didn’t really like talking to new people. Social interaction was not my strong suit, and being in a whole new group of people was terrifying to me. There were so many people I didn’t know, and I wasn’t sure how to start talking to any of them. My first instinct was to just make myself as small and unnoticeable as I possibly could, and just hide in the corner until it was all over. I sat there awkwardly, fidgeting with the hair tie around my wrist. However, this strategy didn’t work for very long. Within ten minutes, an upperclassman had noticed my shy and awkward self and decided to come talk to me. She came over and complimented my hair, and we began to talk. That moment changed so much. I felt wanted. Someone who I didn’t know, who I had never even talked to before, had noticed me and cared enough to start a conversation with me to make me feel like I belonged. This is what Thespians is all about. Yes, it’s about theater obviously, and singing and dancing and tech. But it’s also about community. It’s about belonging. It’s about making friendships that will last forever. It’s about making a shy, lost, lonely little freshmen feel welcomed and cared about. That’s why such a small moment, such a simple thing for someone to do, made such a lasting impact. All it takes is a simple moment of kindness to make a world of difference.”