My short and sweet post.

The goal of this post is to be short and sweet. I'm getting nostalgic and sad, so let me just say (type) this so I can avoid crying at the end of the conservatory.

This will most likely be the last year I do STC, both for financial reasons and simply for the fact that I feel I must move on. I SINCERELY want to work with Burning Coal in the future, either as an actor or as an intern. But, as of this moment, it would be incredibly difficult to pull off another summer of STC. This being said, STC has been one of the greatest experiences of my life. The first year, it showed me a world that I had never been introduced to before. It opened my eyes to the amazing people and performances that can be found anywhere you go. It taught me the fundementals of acting, and basically prepared me for my freshman year.

This year was different. I came in having some confidence and (a miniscule amount of) skill. I already knew some people, including Ian. I think this is what made the difference. Coming in this year with some sort of platform and a fun role, I was able to learn so much more than I could last year. This summer was by far the best. I made some friends that I will never forget, and I memorized more than I ever thought possible. I learned amazing skills that will help for future auditions and roles, and I learned of new acting oppurtunities that I would have never considered. All in all, I don't know how I'm ever going to leave Raleigh.

And this is a week early. And I'm rambling. And you've probably stopped reading. I just really felt the need to get this off of my chest. These past two weeks have been amazing, heart wrenching, and soul searching. I love you all, and I look forward to our last week together.

Yours always,

Jacob McHugh