A friend asked me, “So how is school”, and I responded, “it’s great, I’m really enjoying it.” She was like “how is that possible because most people say grad school is difficult.” Well, yes grad school is difficult, a lot of school work coupled with personal tasks to accomplish. Those who are married or live with their partners or children have extra load on their plates and that also can make grad school very stressful.
For me, this is my second masters program so I have had a taste of what grad school is all about before beginning this journey. This journey has so far been challenging but a great learning experience. I have always wanted to get into a dance program here in the US so this is like a dream come true for me. The best part of it was getting accepted to the only school I auditioned at which was my first and best choice.
It is tedious to be dancing 5 days a week since I had not really been dancing full time for some years. I remember before classes began, a colleague and I volunteered as dancers in a video shoot which was being done by the University. The new West African dance professor was to work with us in the video. We only spent an hour shooting the entire video but we both got sore after the shoot and could not really move the next day. That showed how the lockdown period got me and many dancers out of shape. During the first two weeks of classes, my whole body was in grievous pain but the joy and excitement I had from being in my dream program was always a motivation to “keep on keeping on”. My body could not understand some of the movements which I was being introduced to and instead of giving myself time to adjust, I was trying to rush the process and get better overnight. A few conversations with some professors and grads made me realize that all I needed was time and dedication. Ever since that sinked in, I have been enjoying the program even more. Although I do not get some movements immediately, I allow my body to process it and get in tune. In addition, dancing with masks on has not been easy at all. Dancers are advised to breath while dancing and here is the situation where by there is a piece of fabric reducing the amount of air one takes in at a time. I understand this is the new normal and this might go on for some time so one has to adjust. The first few weeks were rough but currently, my body has adjusted to dancing with masks on and I feel great.
I enjoy all my classes but for my Advanced Academic Writing class. I believe I would have enjoyed that class if it was in person. Since everything is online, it becomes overwhelming to read and understand everything that is being posted. It is a lot of work and sitting behind the computer for the entire period makes it stressful. Aside from that, I love the exposure to certain new writing styles I did not know about. I believe this class aside from being stressful will help me become a better writer which is an essential skill in grad school.
So far the journey has been great and I am looking forward to see my artistic and academic development over the rest of the semester.
The Creative Process 
Incredible work of art there, your body language speaks volume of what you are about. Keep up the good work 👍
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Wow Ishy, what an insightful story! Congratulations though belated and it must sound great schooling at OSU! I enjoyed reading your mid-semester reflection and oh my, I admire your tenacity and positivity! As a fellow international student who enjoys anything performing arts, I hardly think about the performers as much as the art the perform! You did a great job in enlightening me about your behind the scenes reality of being a performer and the mental and physical pain you need to endure to put up what the world ends up enjoying. Even though you were sharing your journey, it has a great educational piece and I am grateful for that.
I share in your challenges with this digital semester and I will only encourage you to stay true to your passion and keep working hard – this too, will be a season and hopefully, this pandemic will be over so we can revert to living a mask-free life around people. Keep learnings, keep soaring, and keep shining.
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Quite a deep reflection on your semester so far! I believe the feeling of stress resonates with every grad student. Even though I am currently not in a practical based program like yours, from my undergrad theatre school experience, I can imagine what the demands of a graduate program in dance would be; and that’s no joke! You talked about grad students with families having a lot more on their plates when it comes to grad school experience; that’s true. I would just add that grad students with teaching assignments have their stories to tell too. I guess the salient point here is the fact that we all experience grad school in different ways depending on the respective demands of our programs, and the assignments that come with our respective grad positions. I always say that it never gets better in grad school but what is more important is, borrowing your words, “to keep on keeping on”!
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