When I was in high school I played basketball. I loved the thrill of winning a game and the squeak of tennis shoes on the court, even though I was never very good and only made about half the shots I took. Despite this, I still play occasionally in college. Mind you, I don’t play for Union, just in the Bowld gym, or during nice days on the outdoor courts.
I took something I held seriously in high school, and I turned it into something that helps me to relax while in college.
Other Union students had the opportunity to do this last Saturday when they participated in Variety Show. From the fraternities and sororities to the Student Activities Council and Blank Slate Improv, students were able to display their talents.
“They have their own creative liberty and get to show off,” Lauren Steed, sophomore vice president of the Student Activities Council, said. “Some people really like dancing because they were performers in high school so this is their one fun outlet.”
The best performances are when the performers are enjoying themselves and doing something that they love. Just like I sometimes play basketball to relieve stress, students in Variety Show were able to revisit their time in high school and use their talents to put on one of Union’s biggest events of the year.
“Being back on stage is so cool because [in high school] you feel like you’re getting judged,” Jenna Howell, a freshman digital media communications major, said. “Here, I just wanted to do it for fun. And actually having fun and not being so stressed about having to go do a costume change…just being up there was so fun and brought back so many memories.”
Not only did Variety Show bring back memories for the performers but it also created new ones. When the students arrived at 7:30 a.m., they were required to stay at the venue where they would perform, all day. Both Steed and Howell reiterated that the moments before Variety Show were some of the most anticipatory yet also exciting and team-building moments of the event.
“We had the whole day to get ready and then we had a group practice altogether,” Howell said, with a wistful smile. “We got to see everybody’s [act, before the audience arrived] and I didn’t think we were going to. That was cool because we all cheered each other on and it wasn’t competitive or talking about anybody. Everyone was genuinely happy to just have fun on stage and see how different everybody was.”
This is what Variety Show is for, celebrating the differences that make people at Union set apart and showcasing their unique abilities. At the end of the show, when the overall performance winner was announced, the other groups stood up and cheered for the ladies of Zeta Tau Alpha as they went to claim their trophy.
The unity and camaraderie between the acts showed me something while I watched. In the end, it wasn’t all about the trophy, it was about the days of work put in by all of those involved and being able to see their hard work pay off. Sometimes, it is more about the personal reward than about the trophy on your shelf. Of course, winning is still the goal, but Variety Show is about the community you are creating and is not a high-stakes play for victory.
“When we got off that stage I was like, I don’t think we could have done any better,” Howell, a member of Chi Omega, said. “And I don’t regret anything we put out there. It was my first time doing this which meant I didn’t know what to expect but that made it even better because I didn’t have expectations for myself or for the girls. I just wanted them to do their best and have fun.”
The fun which people had at Variety Show was not something that happened by chance. Hours of hard work were put into the performance and stress could run high. The days leading up to the show were crunch time and sometimes not all of the bugs worked themselves out the way performers hoped. Due to this, it was imperative to keep morale high and to stay positive even during the lead-up to the event.
“You’re practicing together on your own time,” Steed said. “It definitely teaches you to be grateful for what you have and to have a good mindset. In our meetings before, we ask, how can we make V-Show better and how can we encourage people.”
Encouragement is the key in Variety Show. It is what makes what could be a stressful experience, one filled with good friends and great memories. Instead of weeks filled with worry, performers came away having closer relationships with those around them and plans for next year’s show.
“Now my planner doesn’t have V-Show and I’m like what am I going to do from 9 to 10? I should probably go to sleep,” Howell said, laughing. “You don’t realize how much it consumes your life for a few months. But in the best way possible. I was never like I’m just so drained and don’t want to do this anymore.”
The hours of practice could be draining, but students look at it in a different way. Variety Show is an uplifting time to encourage others and share their talents with those around them.
“This is the biggest community-building event that we have,” Steed said, and I could tell she was proud. “Here students can come together and encourage people and show off to not only campus and their family members but to Jackson as a whole. [Variety Show] shows who Union is.”
