The first year of undergrad tested me, and I learned a lot in the more minor roles I filled on several shows. A notable challenge surfaced in April 2016 when my body went numb from the waist down. I’d been feeling run down for a few weeks, brushed off as fatigue from juggling my classes combined with the weight of living with EDS, but this was new and alarming. After several tests in the ER and consults with ½ dozen doctors over a few weeks, I was sent into my First Year Portfolio Review with a brand new Multiple Sclerosis diagnosis. I remember being unable to kneel to drink the disgusting concoction made by the 4th Year designers for the new ones joining the program at the end-of-year party. 

 Needing a distraction, I jumped at the opportunity for a new show that June, even if the project wasn’t glamorous or big-budget. Whiskey Sour was just the project—a 48-hour Film Festival entry with a concept-to-submission timeline that felt as rushed as it was exciting. A modest $50 budget, barely enough to grab a few essential props, let alone pay a whole crew. Luckily, we were all doing a little project for fun, the Tea crew with a few friends from NCSA. Set in a local diner with just the right amount of character to bring the story to life. The competition required a dog toy prop in each film, Inigo was happy to donate one of his to the cause.

With a small team and limited resources, we spent a sleepless night transforming the diner into our stage. The rush of making every second count was thrilling, the story being written in the corner booth while the lights and design were going up. In a late-night mishap, a ceiling tile melted from the heat of our lights—an unexpected moment that added to the film’s rushed nature and honestly gave us a bit of a laugh. The project didn’t win, but it was the perfect chance to work with the Bunnies.

In the months following, my world shifted. I’d completed my first year at UNCSA and was formally admitted to Production Design, a huge step in my journey. My body wasn’t thriving, and my mental health was suffering. I already had one chronic disease that cost me my training career. Reckoning with another was not fun. My mother-in-law made it all harder, insisting I was exaggerating or faking. Through Whiskey Sour, I learned the importance of relying on friends and making the most of my time, a skill I’d need as I navigate the years ahead. 

My next project gave me a taste of wild freedom that was sorely needed.