There is a crushing inevitability that comes with planning out your life; everything will fall apart. My entire existence had been centred around theatre – rehearsals, prompt books and green rooms galore. The planning and the build up to opening night is an exhilaration beyond compare. The roar of the audience sounded different every night, and as a bonus, the paperwork was fun to fill out. Still, I felt like there was a hole in my accomplishments.

During the deepest part of the lockdown, I took a moment to reflect and ask myself why I wasn’t feeling fulfilled in my career. Another question I asked myself was, why was I rejecting job offers?

It was thanks to the pandemic, that for the first time, I was able to be honest with myself. Every contract I took, I had one eye on the marketing team and kept looking for ways to contribute any form of copywriting. I was accepting production contracts out of duty, not passion, and it was from that emptiness that I found my discontent.

At first, I wasn’t sure if going back to school was the right choice for me. However, after my first semester at Mohawk College’s Advertising and Marketing Communication Management program, I felt like the first sip of coffee on a cold wintry morning. Everything makes sense. I am excited about class. I am passionate about the assignments. Skipping never crosses my mind. I found my way to where the chaos sounds like a song, and it’s one I want to listen to every day.

The skills I learned from theatre have prepared me for this new adventure. My respect for deadlines, the awareness of my team, and a go-go-go attitude have all helped me find my place in advertising. There is space for my creativity. There is peace in my heart.

I’m finally home.