Ever since I can remember, I have been called a drama queen by my family and friends. As much as I wish that I could refute this nickname, it is not undeserved.

My earliest memory of my dramatic nature is from a family trip to Hawaii when I was four. When we arrived, I accepted my welcome lei as a princess might accept a crown, dancing and twirling with it, smelling the sweet fragrance as we walked to our rooms. Hours later, I had changed from an elated princess to a lone survivor in the tropical jungles trying frantically to be rescued by my siblings, who were ignoring me while they played a game of catch. Bored, I decided to journey back home through a complex of condos that all looked alike, and I walked to the wrong door. Panic followed confusion as I wandered dazed, wondering how I could survive in the tropical jungles alone. And then my beautiful lei broke. The pale pink flowers fell to the ground, slipping through my small hands. Defeated, I sat on the curb and cried, crushed, dirty flowers littering the ground.

I have always expressed myself through the art of make-believe. As a small child, I often created invisible characters and acted out scenes, pretending I was on a sitcom. I also made up people to play with, like my Prince Charming. He would bow to me, inviting me to dance, and I would respond with a graceful curtsey and flounce onto the dance floor. We waltzed and twirled in my sunlit playroom, me in an angel-white slip, he in traditional court garb. When we got tired, we sat together, enjoying a feast of Trix yogurt.

When I got older, my friends and I would make movies and music videos, in which we were the stars, producers, and directors. We made a video entitled "Gap Through the Ages" as we explored the fashions of previous and future eras. We made a segment for each decade in which we would dress up in funky clothes, put on bright makeup and hair gel, and do goofy, semi-choreographed dances to what we thought was popular music of the time. We introduced each segment dressed in strange clothes worn backwards or upside down, gift wrapping ribbons swathed around our bodies and hair sticking straight up into the air, as if we were televisions hosts from the future presenting Gap ads from the past. Another time on a long drive, my friend and I sang about the trees and the grass, seamlessly shifting the melody, beats, and subjects into one fluid song. We sang the whole time, my parents, who had become accustomed to my creative outbursts, never telling us to stop.

Until I was twelve, I had never considered theater as an outlet for my artistic tendencies, as dance had always been my preferred form of expression. But, when dance became less artful and more competitive, I realized it was no longer for me. I auditioned for two plays, and was cast in a Motown Musical Revue. That summer I discovered my passion. I had never experienced anything like being on stage in front of people and performing. The feeling is ineffable. Words like "rush" and "high" hardly describe it. My cast and I prepared for six weeks in rigorous rehearsals, and the first night of our performance my stomach was filled with butterflies. I took my position on the darkened stage and took a deep breath as the music began to blast from the speakers. As soon as the lights came up, my worries melted away. The butterflies turned into electricity that coursed into my blood. On stage I was transformed into an outgoing ball of energy, fueled by the reactions I sensed coming from the darkened faces of the audience. When the show ended, my surprised parents rushed to my side, enveloping me in gigantic bear hugs. To this day, they tell the story of their disbelief at how good I was. After that summer I knew that performing was my calling, and have performed in numerous plays since.

It may sound strange to say that I was destined to act, that my purpose in life is to reach people through entertainment, but that is truly how I feel. Being an actor is challenging - mentally, physically, and spiritually -- but I love doing it. Although I may well end up pursuing a more practical career, drama is in my nature, and acting is my passion.

 This essay was written by Tamara Clark, Garfield Class of 2007, Barnard College Class of 2011.