Paying for Drama School - New York University

Hey everyone! My name is Soraya, I'm twenty-two years old and I have been admitted to MY DREAM SCHOOL NYU, a.k.a. NEW YORK UNIVERSITY.

I'm a Dutch transfer student, who’s in her last year of college (aaaa!). Being an international student makes it incredibly hard to apply for financial aid in the US or my home country. That's why I'm asking for your help. 

I don't want you to pity me because I am aware of the privileged position that I'm in, and I'm more than grateful to have received such an opportunity. I just want you to feel the love and excitement that I feel when I talk about my passion and I would be over the moon and incredibly thankful for every penny that you or your friends and family could spare.

Since I was six years old, I just knew: I want to make art. When I became older and "wiser" I also fell in love with subjects like biology, maths, and chemistry and I thought that choosing a career in these fields of work would guarantee my safety and happiness. However, it's time to reclaim my six-year-old voice again. My parents worked so hard that it’s hard for me to find my own path and I’m not the only Gen Z kid that feels this way. I’m, however, letting go of the footsteps that my parents left behind for me to follow because I am allowed to create my own. Every generation has its own struggles, which makes comparing them useless. As an artist, I aspire to show the world that we should stop comparing and start accepting. The generation gap only exists if we let it. I want to make art that doesn't fit the boxes and that provokes conversations regarding topics that are hard to talk about, such as mental disorders, cultural differences, human health, or sexual trauma. Being vulnerable is not equal to being weak. I would be honored to step into the shoes of various individuals, acknowledge their bliss as well as their pain, and portray them as the pure souls that they are.

I think that art cultivates empathy, has the power to stop the hate and resentment that people may feel towards one another, and start the revolution of listening to each other. I am ready to be one of the pioneers and I hope that you could help me on my journey.

Kind Regards,

Soraya from the Netherlands