Advice from a portfolio school student
I don’t usually just jump into things. I like to have a plan. I was the kid who not only said “I want to be an astronaut,” but also made plans on the space camps and programs that would get me to the stars. The same goes for any of the hundred career changes that continued until I finished college. I wrote for a college newspaper, reached out to famous screenwriters (cough, T. Fey, cough) and even learned Russian in order to prepare for the myriad of jobs that I believed would be my calling.
So it came as a huge surprise, both to myself and my parents, when I announced that I was moving to Atlanta (where I had never been) to study copywriting (which I had never really heard of) at a portfolio school with the word “Circus” in the name. It was totally off-book, which is a term I learned from my days of wanting to act.
In short, I was terrified and excited. Moving to a new city and starting from scratch in a totally new field after college was intimidating and I was not looking forward to the pressure of making all new friends. Especially when I had no idea what I would be doing at the Circus.
When I arrived, I realized that many of my classmates had degrees in advertising or design. Some even had real world experience. In a normal situation, it would be easy to give up. Luckily, the Circus is many things and normal is not one of them. So to anyone considering entering this program, here’s what I would say to you both as someone who has been in your shoes and now as a member of the Circus community myself.
We’re all rooting for you. In the moments when I expected judgment, I received only encouragement. When I could have felt out of place, I found a strong support system that began with my classmates and ran straight up the Circus ranks to the founders of the school, who sometimes seem to be roaming the halls just searching for opportunities to help.
In moments of failure, the instructors pointed me toward success. The truth is, no one is prepared for the Circus. Whether you have previous experience or you’re trying something completely new, we’re all in this crazy new world together. We were all the “quirky, creative friend” and you’ll be amazed how easy it is to make friends and hit the ground running here.
There’s a lot to learn at the Circus, but you’re learning from the best, whether it’s your brilliant classmates or instructors who really are invested in your success.I didn’t plan on running away to the Circus. But even if I did, I certainly couldn’t have anticipated the insane, rewarding, difficult, beautiful adventure that was waiting for me. I found a support system and lifelong friends. And to anyone who may be contemplating the same jump, I can only say that we’re already rooting for you, too.