Some people are aware of the toll that a theatre major at the Hartt School takes on the body and mind. But few are actually aware of a colloquialism within the walls of the Handel Performing Arts Center, known as the “Sophomore Slaughter”.

Sophomore theatre majors have the most credit requirements they will ever have in their entire four years with a whopping 16.5 credit hours. And those hours don’t include any general university requirements, or the time spent at rehearsal every weekday from 7:20pm -10:30pm for about five weeks.

When I was pondering how busy our schedules are, the first person I thought of was one of my roommates, Emma Ballinger. She was currently in rehearsals for one of our sophomore projects as a lead, so if anyone knew what a busy schedule was, I figured it was her.

“It’s definitely kicked me into hyper-organization,” said Ballinger. “As simple as it sounds, I really have to prioritize rest over everything else. Sometimes I just have to say I can’t go out…”

Many also felt the pressure Sophomore Slaughter has put on them. Isabella Cannone commented, “I don’t [find balance]. I’m very ‘go-go’ all the time, so I’m currently struggling to find personal time because the class schedule is so brutal.”

I also got into a really interesting conversation with Musical Theatre major Emma Nasto about how imposter syndrome can creep up on you when you’re so busy. She said, “It’s sort of inevitable at this point. It can take a really big toll on you. I try to focus on my own growth and improvement and see how far I’ve come.” Acting major, Ava Bales also touched on focusing on improvement, noting, “Last year I was a lot more insecure about it, but as I’ve matured and grown I’ve noticed that it’s a very normal thing. My confidence has grown and I’ve realized that comparing yourself…just isn’t doing anything positive for me.” Others mentioned similar ideas, saying they just don’t have time to worry about whether or not they’re “good enough”.

Another facet of my conversation with my fellow theatre majors was their involvement with clubs and organizations. What I found was very interesting: A majority of people interviewed said they weren’t involved, and couldn’t find time to join a club. But there was a small minority of people that did attend on-campus organizations, even holding leadership positions! Which to me was very polarizing.

The people involved in clubs were very passionate about their involvement, citing it as a good outlet from classes. Tsehai Marson, the secretary of the Performers of Color Alliance (POCA) and member of the UHart Steppaz, said, “It’s beneficial [to be in clubs] because if I do this all the time, I’m going to burn out so fast.”

But others considered joining another organization as pulling themselves too thin. “No, I don’t have time for that,” said Cannone.

Some also felt that being off-campus for the majority of the day blocked them off from campus life. Bales mentioned, “Since I’m in rehearsal…it makes it so I can’t do other things like go to other clubs or hang out with friends outside of the organization.”

“I’ve had lunch one time with my friends outside the program since I’ve been here,” joked Ballinger. “I think it’s about adjusting your expectations of what spending time is, and making that fit into your lifestyle.”

Natalia Ortiz-Villacorta saw this with more of a glass-half-full. She claimed, “A lot of the classes have more collaborative work. If I have free time, I feel more okay to just take a moment for myself.” Mars Woelfel had a similar sentiment: “We’re all locked in HPAC all the time, but there’s so many great people here that you’ll always find a friendly face.”

Because this year is such a busy time for sophomores, I asked if anyone had any rituals during breaks to stay sane. Each response is recorded below:

Bales: “A quick 20-30 minute nap is so helpful.”

Ballinger: “I love to read…I also really love a hot shower. That’s usually the first thing I do when I get home.”

Cannone: “Sometimes I’ll just doomscroll on my phone; Even if the internet is bad… just being able to rot in my bed and do nothing is helpful.” 

Marson: “I try to be equally present in work and rest. I’m putting work in the rest (which sounds like an oxymoron) but it makes me feel more rested.”

Nasto: “I like cooking for myself and I also love watching a show I’ve watched a million times to just turn my brain off.”

Ortiz-Villacorta: “Bless my planner. Google Calendar has been really helpful. I like to color-code things.”

Woelfel: “If it’s been a tough day, I’ll find a comfort food (typically chocolate). Otherwise, [I’ll have] headphones on watching a show.”

To round out the interview, I asked my colleagues if they had any final remarks about Sophomore Slaughter. Many agreed that the name was accurate. Marson commented, “I have classes from 8:30am-5:50pm Monday through Thursday. I get back home around 8:30pm. And my home is D-Complex, which just makes it worse, and this is before rehearsal. Sophomore Slaughter is real.” Woelfel also chimed in on the matter, saying, “It is definitely real.”

Ortiz-Villacorta had a different opinion on the matter. She stated, “So far, it doesn’t feel like a slaughter. Maybe it’ll get more intense [during] the end of semester with juries and evals.”

And some people even disagreed with the name as a whole. “I feel like Sophomore Slaughter is a terrible word for it. I feel like it’s not real. You’re being slaughtered by the workload…You should want to be here for work. It brings a negative connotation about it,” said Cannone. 

And I can understand that take on the concept: While some students use the title as a badge of honor for the hard work they do during the semester, others could potentially use it as an excuse to skip classes. 

To me, it’s all how you frame your work and how you work through the struggles within your week. And whether or not a schedule is busy all depends on where you choose to focus your energy. And the question begs to be asked: If it’s something you truly love, does it really feel like work?

Every person I interviewed (despite their varying levels of exhaustion) all somehow mentioned how much they care about theatre and how they wouldn’t trade it for any other major.

Some people are just addicted to work; The BFA in theatre is exhibit A.