Text-Cutting Solutions

Due to limited available space on the two-page spread format, I had to eliminate some questions from my main article. I also had to trim down some of the responses so they still flowed but were also direct. I wanted to maintain the conversational tone of the interview so I restricted how much I would alter of the responses themselves and stuck to just deleting some sentences. Below are the revised responses:

What caused you to want to leave your stardom?

I was tired. I’d been acting since I was thirteen, and my parents pulled me out of school so I could start filming. I would film for eight hours during the day, then go home and be in school with a private tutor for another four hours or so. I did the home-school thing for five years until I finally told my parents, “That’s enough. I want to go to college.” So, my tutor helped me find applications for colleges and helped me find scholarships, and soon enough I got admitted to one. I finished the project I was working on, and then I told my agent that I wanted to take a break.

How did you decide what college was the best fit for you?

  I applied to a bunch of colleges, and even before that I went on tours to a few as well. In California, I toured at Stanford, UCLA, and California Polytechnic University, but the only one that really felt like a good fit was Stanford, but I ended up not getting in. So, I flew back down to my home state, Florida, to look at colleges there, and did the same thing. When it came down to it, I thought about the tours I had taken and decided on UCF. Ultimately, it felt like home. I could see myself walking through campus, living in the dorms, and taking classes there.

What did you end up studying and how does this area have

value to you?

 Currently, I am studying psychology and taking the clinical track. I want to be able to help people that have been struggling with issues like depression, anxiety, etc. More than likely I would want to be a child psychologist, or work with children to young adults. During my teenage years, I struggled a lot with anxiety and depression and self-harm, and I had no one to turn to with it because of my fame. I was pretty much all alone during it except for my best friend, and if it hadn’t been for her, I don’t think I would be here today. I want to be able to help people that feel like they don’t have anyone. I’ve actually considered opening a practice specifically for stars that are struggling with mental illness, since I can relate to it on a more personal level and provide firsthand insight.

Do you feel that the college experience is worth the

hassle?

Oh my God, of course it is. In this day and age, you can hardly make anything of yourself without a college degree. I knew that if I really wanted to pursue a career for myself other than acting, I had to go to college. Being on campus and knowing that I earned my way there and I’m truly going to make something of myself is honestly the best feeling I’ve ever had. Its better than walking down the red carpet for an award show.

Do you feel that a college education is necessary for

survival in today’s world?

  Absolutely. Obviously, I got lucky and was able to make something of myself in California from a young age, but if I hadn’t gotten that opportunity, I would’ve still had to go to college to truly make a name and career for myself. You can barely get any decent job without some type of associate’s degree or higher.

Do you feel that education has become less valued today?

Actually, I feel that people nowadays are finally realizing just how important an education is for someone. It certainly helps that most jobs are requiring degrees now, but even influence from media has told people to be educated before they make decisions, whether it be with voting, protesting, or whatever the case may be. The funding for education programs is incredibly slim, and its due to this that people either can’t afford a college education, or they just hate going to school. The teachers are not paid enough for what they are doing, and it reflects in their attitude in the classroom, and thus inflicts a feeling of dread upon their students. Overall, I feel that teenagers and young adults are wanting to value their education, but their instructors and guides are limiting just how much they can put into their efforts.

Would you ever consider returning to the world of

entertainment?

I loved acting and starring in the movies I did, and I am so incredibly grateful that I got the opportunities I did, but I don’t see myself returning to that. I’ve realized during my time at school that my true passion is to help people on a personal, one-on-one level, and I can’t achieve that if I get back into the limelight. I definitely won’t be respected as a psychologist if I do, and even now I’m still concerned that the psych community won’t see me as reputable simply because of my past stardom. Nonetheless, I’m going to graduate and try my best to open my own practice, and from there we’ll see where the road takes me.