I was six years old the first time I snuck into a theater. My father led me on tiptoe through the back hallways, his flashlight beam illuminating the rows of costume racks and casting eerie, skeletal shadows on the walls. Together we slipped into the dimly lit maintenance room. Through the thin gaps in the wall I could see the dancers flying and twirling across the stage. I could see the stagehands backstage waiting on headset with bated breath. I...

NYU has been on my radar since middle school when I visited my dad’s friend, Mick, in New York City. On one of our walks through his neighborhood we passed through Washington Square Park and I was immediately taken in by the vibe of the area. I loved the playfulness of the chalk art being created by the arch and the man using ropes to engender clouds of bubbles for the children passing by. I loved the architecture of...