I beg to differ, Politicians.
I did a degree in drama, performance and theatre arts at Staffordshire University. Quite simply, the best three years of my life. I got so much self confidence and I learnt so much.
Drama isn't just throwing yourself around a stage looking silly (Even though we do a lot of it) it was also about presenting yourself in front of people. Being someone different for an hour and a half on stage then finishing the show, taking off the costume and the make up and being yourself again.
How many times have you walked into a shop or called a help line in a call centre and the person dealing with you looks like, or sounds like, they're about to throw a hissy fit? Chances are, if you employ a drama student, they will smile at the atrocious customers, they'll always look like they want to be at work and they'll always be willing to help. Isn't that what employers want and, essentially, what the customers want?
'Drama kids' are always outgoing and confident by the time they've finished their degrees. Fact. We bond. Make friends easily. And we always stick together. During my time at University, sitting in the Drama Block, I saw so many people grow and change. By the time I graduated, I walked across the stage as a completely different person with different people that I sat with on my first day.
A photo from my Graduation day
Ironically, by limiting the arts, you're limiting people's chances at improving their own self confidence and the ability to find themselves and, as a result, the chance of improving their careers. It makes me angry that people say "Drama is such an easy subject" - I think you'll find that we wrote just as many essays as every other course. Our exams were a lot harder because we'd be rehearsing for them a lot longer than others and then we'd have to do them two or three times in a week with a lot more to remember. The whole time being watched and graded by both our lecturers and our peers. So tell me, how is that easy? Okay, we don't need to learn the names of various species of animals and we don't need to know every element on the periodic table and what they do, but neither do most politicians.
Without drama and the performing arts, I don't think I would have anything else to contribute to the world of work, which is even more ironic. I would not be half the person that I am today. And I'm sure I'm not the only person to say so.
