My name is Kieran Rose and I'm a freshman at Georgia State. I am very excited to be here, however, Georgia State University was not my first choice. I have rigorously trained for the past eight years to join a ballet company fresh out of high school. I spent several summers studing in Philadelphia, New York, and Macon. I received several full scholarships and moved away from home at age 14 to further my training. I eventually had to move back home because of family reasons. I was very happy with my obvious career choice until my senior year. My whole outlook on the cruel, political dance world changed. I no longer desired to be unhappy consistently. Dancing is not a happy career. It begins with hard work revealing little to no benefits and it ends with hard work and plaguing injuries. The paycheck is not compensation for daily tribulations, but the stage is. Performing gives me the feeling that tingles the nerves under my fingernails. It makes me feel alive. The profession is all about the stage-- whether it is a traditional venue or a modern and innovative area. Performing is me. It's what I love. But is it truly worth putting off my education until I need it? I'm going to take a couple years to decide. :)