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Writer's pictureJenny Hanrahan

Top Tips for a Silly Place [original blog post 12/1/2019]

Mark it, readers!! We have reached the point of school sleepiness and blog post laziness that means I must resort to a clickbait wonder of a listicle. One in which I use my 14 months of New York City residency mixed with a year and change of studying at Circle In The Square as a thin film of authority through which to advise or bestow any little crumb of wisdom about what this goofy actor-student life might require of a person (good morning to that run on sentence that I choose to let live and breathe). Self deprecation aside, however, I can say for certain that I have picked up some invaluable know-how over my past year here, so here’s some of it!!! Make of it what you will.

  • Meal prep!! Seriously, make a pot of something and it’ll last you lunches through the week. Buying lunch daily around 50th St in Manhattan adds up in a way that’ll make you feel queasy. And then you can be sure you’re feeding your body good stuff! (Trader Joe’s is an excellent option for inexpensive and healthy things.)

  • To that end, try in any way to track your spending. As a friend once told me, “you walk out your front door in New York and hemorrhage money.” There was nothing like having my wallet stolen and having no credit cards to make me aware of the various spending impulses that happen throughout the day. And to make me realize how many of those impulses are entirely unnecessary.

  • Make your home The Good Place. Whether you’re spending countless hours wreaking emotional havoc in yourself in abasement or serving in a restaurant, you need that safe little haven to welcome you at the end of the day. Light some candles, put up pictures of people you love, make warm blanket-nests, etc.

  • Recharge! And don’t feel guilty for it! While my personal president Jeb Bartlet did note (and I agree) that “people have phenomenal capacity,” that capacity is not limitless. You have to give yourself the chance to replenish your stores. It’s no help to anyone to be functioning at your breaking point. Take a minute, then knock em dead.

  • HYDRATE OR DYDRATE. For your voice and for your general health and ability to function at the levels that this school and this goofball city demands. We want that pee CLEAR my friends.

  • Get to know your neighborhood. make friends with your bodega guys, your corner baristas or bagel people. It can only help you feel more at home. And might get you free fancy peanut butter sriracha samples.

  • NYC requires so much travel! Get unlimited MTA passes, a week or a month. And keep the receipt. Your finances will thank you.

  • Have a hobby or pastime that is NOT Circle related. So when those creative ruts happen (and they will) you can divert your energies into something that fulfills your and makes you feel like you. For me, that is playing music, writing letters, journaling, cooking, and making jewelry if I’m feeling extra frisky with my free time.

  • Keep a pretty little planner. So when your brain is oozing out of your ears you don’t have to rely on the slime to remember all the things you have to do, you already have it clearly written down.

  • You are here because Circle wanted you here. They wanted you. Not what you think they want. The sooner you allow yourself to exist fully as you are, the sooner your education and overall experience here will explode ten-told.

  • This is one of my bigger life mottos: Do now what your future self will thank your past self for.

Wahoo weewoo there it is. As for updates in our day to day bopping around here? Our usually hectic second year schedule continues while we continue to forge ahead in preparation for the showcase in February. The third of three rounds of scene auditions approaches this Sunday, where we will all kick our own butts and act our hearts out for many of our beloved and scrutinizing faculty. Meanwhile the musical theatre students continue to bring and sample song after song in search of the one that will provide the optimal showcase of each of our unique abilities. Outside of all of that, any one of us can be found running in and around and up and down this basement singing and dancing and acting and losing and finding ourselves a thousand times over.


In other news the Octet cast album came out a couple weeks ago and I haven’t stopped listening and would love to talk to you about it. That and HBO’s stunning adaptation of His Dark Materials.


kisses and love


our little city family feasts in gratitude together

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