Coffee, coffee, coffee, theater.

After a long week of chaos, sororities, and absurd amounts of homework, I could not have been more thrilled to show up to class Thursday afternoon to find out we would be doing improv and theater games. I had more cups of coffee that day than hours of sleep Wednesday night, so I was in the perfect slap-happy mindset for some ridiculousness. There's something about theater games that is so comforting to me. I was fortunate enough to have a really strong theater department at my high school; I took theater classes as art credits every single year. Maybe it's the familiarity of theater that makes it so comfortable, or maybe it's the idea of being able to do whatever the hell you want without judgment. Either way, I was happy to reminisce and release some of the tension from the week.

The connection between improv and the writing center is not difficult to see. No two improv scenes are the same, just as no two writing center sessions are the same. In each situation, we feed off of the person we are with. If the writer shows up unwilling to work with the advisor and make changes to a paper, nothing will be accomplished.  If an actor is close-minded, the scene will go nowhere. The actors both have to be fully open to ideas and willing to go with any situation presented, just as the writing consultant must be ready for any type of paper and any stage of the writing process.

The most beneficial result of improvisation, however, is the way it eliminates any restraints or fears in candid conversation. Given the quick, unexpected nature of improv work, the actors must be able to think fast and respond naturally. There is no time for an actor to over think a line and fully analyze the direction of a scene. A writing consultant faces a similar challenge. In a writing center session, the consultant has no time to formulate a perfect response.
The advisor must present their thoughts on the paper right there and then. There is no time to step back and read the paper over again. There is just barely enough time to create a constructive criticism that will not offend the writer. At the same time, we cannot allow the fear of offending the writer keep us from saying what needs to be said.

Improv also speeds up the relationship process. We must get rid of all boundaries of what is considered awkward, and dive-in unknowingly, working with a scene partner as if we’ve known them our whole lives. Similarly, we must be open to have an honest conversation with a complete stranger during an advising session. In the process, there is no avoiding forming a small connection with someone. Through class on Friday, I was able to practice my improv skills while getting to know my future fellow consultants a bit better :).