A day in the life of an Applied Theatre student
Molly McDermott is a current student of theĀ Royal Birmingham Conservatoire who studies BA (Hons) Applied Theatre. She describes to us her typical Tuesday routine and her daily schedule which requires her to attend singing sessions, drop-in to zoom gatherings with the acting school and a little coffee-catch up with her peers.Ā
My Typical Tuesday
Like most university students, the start of the week is always the hardest when it comes to getting out of bed. My Tuesday starts at 7:30 am, it is a struggle, but I get some coffee and food in me and I'm good to go! Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, no argument necessary, and I like to make myself something semi-healthy to prepare my body for a day of practical work: my personal favourite is smashed avocado on toast. Once Iāve fuelled myself up I drag myself back upstairs to get myself ready, before beginning my commute into Birmingham.Ā
During these freezing winter mornings, I try to get a lift from my parents whenever possible, however, thatās not always an option so Iām stuck with the bus. Traffic can be such a nightmare, as well as the constant road work, so I have to make sure Iām prepared for any delays with lots and lots of layers of scarves and woolly jumpers. I honestly remind myself of a primary school child travelling to school on a snowy day.
Once Iāve made it into the Conservatoire, my friends and I all usually meet up in the common room before going into class. We have a little catch-up and spill all the tea (gossip) thatās happened over the weekend. We are all so thankful that we can still have face-to-face teaching with Terina on a Tuesday, it usually starts with some fun games to warm us up and get us prepared for a full day. Snack time is important for keeping the energy up in our group, itās one of my favourite times of the day, and we always end up grabbing a coffee from theĀ Curzon Building and drinking it as fast as possible to make it back in time. After our session with Terina, itās time for singing. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, we have to either go into groups or a 1-1 session, thankfully nobodyās been deafened by my awful singing voice just yet. Each session I go in full of butterflies thinking Iām about to cry, but itās never as scary as it seems, Iām just being a drama queen.Ā
Most of my days are the same, apart from Fridays, where thereās usually a Zoom drop-in session for people in the acting school; people just attend to joke around and lighten up the mood, it has proven to be a great alternative to going out at the moment. Although there are so many restrictions, I love going for walks around Birmingham with my friends, showing them where I grew up. The canal is so beautiful at night, some people skate around which is always a laugh; especially when they try to teach me how to skate, Iām definitely not suited to it. I just have no balance!
After a full day of lessons, we usually grab food and we find somewhere to sit and eat it all together. One of my favourite spots are the stairs by St Martinās Church. Sadly, thereās not much we can do at the moment, so we go for a little walk before heading our separate ways to go home. I usually get a lift home, as I finish around 17:00 pm which is when rush hour starts; it can be such a pain, but definitely worth it. Once Iām home, I make sure Iāve done all my work thatās been set and brainstorm any ideas for my upcoming assessments. I do try to stay healthy with my dinners. I typically make myself chicken with rice and broccoli, and itās so tasty! The TVĀ show āIām a Celebrity...ā is such a lifesaver at the moment, it helps me keep track of the night, otherwise, Iād end up working until 3:00 am. I try to make sure Iām in bed ready to sleep by 21:00 pm.
