--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I did a practical theatre degree, which I…" description: "\"I did a practical theatre degree, which I took seriously, and then told my parents I wanted to go into acting - because up until that point you could s..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/shelley-conn-40889_acting_i-did-a-practical-theatre-degree-which-i_768906.jpg" --- # I did a practical theatre degree, which I took seriously… ![“I did a practical theatre degree, which I took seriously, and then told my parents I wanted to go into acting - because up until that point you could still say you were going to become a teacher. So I told my parents, and they said: 'But of course, that's what we always thought you were doing to…” quote by Shelley Conn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/shelley-conn-40889_acting_i-did-a-practical-theatre-degree-which-i_768906.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/shelley-conn-40889_acting_i-did-a-practical-theatre-degree-which-i_768906.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/shelley-conn-40889_acting_i-did-a-practical-theatre-degree-which-i_768906.jpg) > “I did a practical theatre degree, which I took seriously, and then told my parents I wanted to go into acting - because up until that point you could still say you were going to become a teacher. So I told my parents, and they said: 'But of course, that's what we always thought you were doing to do.' Until then, I was still in the acting closet.” [Shelley Conn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-conn/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Pursuing a practical theatre degree opened doors, but family expectations created tension about career choices. **In simple terms:** Theatre degree vs. family expectations. Key Takeaway Communicate career goals clearly. Themes career family expectations artistic identity Mood reflective determined Type motivational personal When to use this quote - career counseling - family discussions - personal branding Key Concepts identity formation career decision-making parental influence Questions to Reflect On - How will you address family concerns about your art? - What steps can you take to assert your career choice? A Different Perspective Family may resist unconventional paths. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting/) [Acting Closet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/acting-closet-5947641/) [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Always](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/always/) [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Become](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/become/) [Closet](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/closet/) [Could](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/could/) [Course](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/course/) [Degree](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/degree/) [Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/did/) [Doing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing/) [Doing Acting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doing-acting-761215/) [Go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/go/) [Going](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/going/) [Parenting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parenting/) [Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents/) [Parents Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/parents-said-406582/) [Point](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/point/) [Practical](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practical/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/say/) [Seriously](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seriously/) [Still](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/still/) [Teacher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/teacher/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Then](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/then/) [Thought](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thought/) [Told Parents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/told-parents-289794/) [Took](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/took/) [Until](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/until/) [Up](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/up/) [Wanted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/wanted/) [Were](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/were/) [Which](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/which/) [You](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/you/) ## Related quotes > [My sister, myself, and my cousins would put on shows for our parents and charge them to come and watch, apparently. That's what I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/danielle-macdonald/my-sister-myself-and-my-cousins-would-put-on-shows-for-our-parents/) [Danielle Macdonald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/danielle-macdonald/) > [“Archie asked if I'd told my parents about him, and I said I hadn't. "How much longer are you going to keep me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/melissa-bank/archie-asked-if-i-d-told-my-parents-about-him-and-i-said-i-hadn-t-how/) [Melissa Bank](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/melissa-bank/) > [“Doing and acting build a culture of excellence”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kathryn-a-leroy/doing-and-acting-build-a-culture-of-excellence/) [Kathryn A. LeRoy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kathryn-a-leroy/) > [ I can't imagine ever not doing \[acting\]. I would feel like I would have lost a limb. But I am older now, and sometimes… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-can-t-imagine-ever-not-doing-acting-i-would-feel-like-i-would-have/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [I landed in Mumbai & I started doing acting. I would do acting for 5 days and I would teach Physics & Maths in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jitendra-kumar/i-landed-in-mumbai-i-started-doing-acting-i-would-do-acting-for-5/) [Jitendra Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jitendra-kumar/) > [I was doing acting work at Fox - bit pieces with Greg Peck in The Gunfighter and things like that - and grew up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-buchanan/i-was-doing-acting-work-at-fox-bit-pieces-with-greg-peck-in-the/) [Larry Buchanan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-buchanan/) > [The biggest problem I have doing my acting is having to interact with other people. I think if it wasn't for my wife and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-gordon-sinclair/the-biggest-problem-i-have-doing-my-acting-is-having-to-interact-with/) [John Gordon Sinclair](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-gordon-sinclair/) > [Well I was eight years old, and I have an older cousin who is three years older than me and she was doing acting,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hailee-steinfeld/well-i-was-eight-years-old-and-i-have-an-older-cousin-who-is-three/) [Hailee Steinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hailee-steinfeld/) > [I started out doing the acting, and there was always an interest in music, and then the music just took off.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-thomas/i-started-out-doing-the-acting-and-there-was-always-an-interest-in/) [Ashley Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-thomas/) > [But 'Hey Dude' was shot in Arizona, and that took me to the West Coast. We did 65 episodes. It was not a show…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-taylor/but-hey-dude-was-shot-in-arizona-and-that-took-me-to-the-west-coast/) [Christine Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-taylor/) > [What you're doing is acting with yourself. Well, I'm my favourite actor, so in a way it's quite straightforward for me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-capaldi/what-you-re-doing-is-acting-with-yourself-well-i-m-my-favourite-actor/) [Peter Capaldi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-capaldi/) > [I got a little house in East L.A. and did the gardening. I was doing some acting here and there, doing my own thing...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adam-ant/i-got-a-little-house-in-east-l-a-and-did-the-gardening-i-was-doing/) [Adam Ant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adam-ant/) > [I took my first acting class at age 6 because I found out that's what Carol Burnett was doing - acting. Also she had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christine-lakin/i-took-my-first-acting-class-at-age-6-because-i-found-out-that-s-what/) [Christine Lakin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christine-lakin/) > [I want to be in a more natural state while doing acting.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/armaan-malik/i-want-to-be-in-a-more-natural-state-while-doing-acting/) [Armaan Malik](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/armaan-malik/) > [Acting is a very important thing for me, and I love doing it. But when I'm acting, I spend 14 hours a day and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-love-hewitt/acting-is-a-very-important-thing-for-me-and-i-love-doing-it-but-when/) [Jennifer Love Hewitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-love-hewitt/) ## More by Shelley Conn > [I think 'Mistresses' is so successful because it's a mixture of intriguing storylines with lots of twists and it is rooted very strongly in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-conn/i-think-mistresses-is-so-successful-because-it-s-a-mixture-of/) [Shelley Conn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-conn/) > [I think I would struggle with any job if it was purely about effects. Even as a viewer, those aren't the kind of things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-conn/i-think-i-would-struggle-with-any-job-if-it-was-purely-about-effects/) [Shelley Conn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-conn/) > [People want to be entertained when they watch dramas. 'Mistresses' has a mixture of escapism and reality.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-conn/people-want-to-be-entertained-when-they-watch-dramas-mistresses-has-a/) [Shelley Conn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-conn/) > [I think I would struggle with any job if it was purely about effects. Even as a viewer, those aren't the kind of things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-conn/i-think-i-would-struggle-with-any-job-if-it-was-purely-about-effects-2/) [Shelley Conn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-conn/) > [My first job was playing 'Nurse 2' in a film by Ben Elton called 'Maybe Baby,' and the first actors I worked with professionally…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-conn/my-first-job-was-playing-nurse-2-in-a-film-by-ben-elton-called-maybe/) [Shelley Conn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-conn/) > [When I was studying, I was part of a children's entertainment company, and I'd have to dress up as a pirate or fairy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-conn/when-i-was-studying-i-was-part-of-a-children-s-entertainment-company/) [Shelley Conn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-conn/) > [It's always overwhelming when you get a nice response to something, because you really invest in these projects, and you can't help but really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-conn/it-s-always-overwhelming-when-you-get-a-nice-response-to-something/) [Shelley Conn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-conn/) > [I had periods when I was out of work, and I still do - I just don't worry about them as much any more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-conn/i-had-periods-when-i-was-out-of-work-and-i-still-do-i-just-don-t/) [Shelley Conn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-conn/) > [I'll go wherever the work takes me. If something comes along that feels right, the family will come with me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelley-conn/i-ll-go-wherever-the-work-takes-me-if-something-comes-along-that/) [Shelley Conn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-conn/) [Explore all 10 Shelley Conn quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelley-conn/) ## More Acting quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. You have to be hyper, hyper aware of what's going on around you. You have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-moore/i-actually-think-acting-is-a-form-of-self-hypnosis-you-have-to-be/) [Julianne Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-moore/) > [Many Republicans have always reminded me of professional WWF wrestlers. They come into the ring all pumped up and acting like they're invincible and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-feig/many-republicans-have-always-reminded-me-of-professional-wwf/) [Paul Feig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-feig/) > [I'm a big fan of all the Boston guys that are acting - Matt Damon , Ben Affleck, Mark Wahlberg - they made a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-wormald/i-m-a-big-fan-of-all-the-boston-guys-that-are-acting-matt-damon-ben/) [Kenny Wormald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-wormald/) > [Acting is a grind, just like music is a grind. Sometimes it takes longer than what you can give.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/big-sean/acting-is-a-grind-just-like-music-is-a-grind-sometimes-it-takes/) [Big Sean](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/big-sean/) > [It was only when I started making short films in college and I was looking for girls to play the me-ish parts that I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/it-was-only-when-i-started-making-short-films-in-college-and-i-was/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [Writing is something I took up rather than anything I had an inclination toward. I like acting -delivering someone else's message - but writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-martin/writing-is-something-i-took-up-rather-than-anything-i-had-an/) [Steve Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-martin/) > [I can still function when I don't have that balance I crave. I had a tendency to be precious about acting, thinking of it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-regan/i-can-still-function-when-i-don-t-have-that-balance-i-crave-i-had-a/) [Laura Regan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-regan/) > [Actors don't hate acting. Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [It was only when I went to acting school that I was like, "You are absolutely such a pigheaded freak show that you thought…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giles-matthey/it-was-only-when-i-went-to-acting-school-that-i-was-like-you-are/) [Giles Matthey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giles-matthey/) > [Once I committed to acting, this has been it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ernie-hudson/once-i-committed-to-acting-this-has-been-it/) [Ernie Hudson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ernie-hudson/) > [It definitely helps to have the acting experience going into singing, because when you're singing, you have to portray the emotion you were feeling…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-newman/it-definitely-helps-to-have-the-acting-experience-going-into-singing/) [Ryan Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-newman/) > [The show was number one in the ratings, Gordon Russell was our head writer, the story lines were magnificent and the acting most exciting.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-storm/the-show-was-number-one-in-the-ratings-gordon-russell-was-our-head/) [Michael Storm](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-storm/) > [I've done so many other projects where you're in a room with a reader and you're acting your lines out: 'We have to get…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-cummings/i-ve-done-so-many-other-projects-where-you-re-in-a-room-with-a-reader/) [Jim Cummings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-cummings/) > [I do not believe in public shaming. 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