A Simple Activity.

Below is a copy of my assignment for my beginning acting class. It gives background information on the character's (me) POV. It's a bit rough (grammar/style wise), but, more importantly, I did not expect (as you will too) that I would have to infuse parts of my life just for a short, two minute scene involving a mundane activity I do everyday (washing my face before I sleep):


WHO AM I: At this moment, I am tired and about to retire for the night. I head to the bathroom to wash my face before I enter my room to sleep. The “given circumstances” are that this reflects the end to a mentally and physically exhausting long day at William & Mary. I perceive myself as an almost adult who usually throws himself behind all his activities and work—and hence, I am usually exhausted at the end of the day. Moreover, I have a somewhat neutral self-image. While I feel confident in myself and in my capabilities, I have a relatively negative view of my body, my appearance, and my looks. At this point, I am physically and mentally tired and somewhat emotionally distraught due to the events of the day and other events in my life.

WHERE DID I COME FROM: Some of the details from the immediate past that have shaped me is that I probably came back from a long night in the computer lab or study lounge. Moreover, I probably had my last cigarette for the night a couple minutes before this event. In my distant past, I guess I never been stable in the sense that I am all over the place. I am not used to staying in one place still for very long. Whether it is traveling over the world or around campus, I am constantly moving. As a child, because my family moved several times, I have come to expect constant upheaval or change. One of my friends described it best, “Patrick, every time I see you, you’re running all over the place.” Finally, right before this moment, I left my bag outside the door of my dorm room so I will not wake up my roommate by entering the room at such a late hour.

WHY AM I HERE: The place/setting is the men’s bathroom in the first men’s corner in the German House, 1st Floor Giles Hall in the Randolph Complex. This is my third and final year in the German House. The description of the area in question is as follows: The hallway outside the bathroom is covered by brownish white floor tiles, surrounded by white walls, lit by a dim candescent light above. The three doors adjacent to the entrance of the bathroom are old wooden doors with black, yellow, and red (colors of German flag) borders. The entrance to the bathroom is a wooden door with a yellow border, leaking fluorescent light from below. There are two sinks to the left as you enter, with a marble-walled bathroom stall with a new wooden door with a metal lock, and light brown bathroom tiles on the floor with white cinderblock walls. Beside the leftmost sink is a rusted white wire shelf system of three levels holding various personal articles, toilet paper, and paper towels. It is probably between 1AM and 3AM, depending on how busy I am.

In this area, as a veteran German House resident, I am living with my roommate, my friend Eric, for the second year in a row. The room I live in, which is across from the entrance of the bathroom, was the room I lived in the German House. The room at the end of the mini-hallway is the room of Mark and Zach, who were new residents last year and decided to live in the same corner next to us this year. Finally, in the last room are two new residents (on the same side of the bathroom) Alex and Joe, two sophomore science majors who are also brothers in Beta.

At this time of the night, I just want to get into bed and sleep-nothing more and nothing less. To prepare myself for sleep and rest comprises my immediate need or objective in this space/area.

WHERE AM I GOING: In the near future, after I wash my face, I will get my bag outside my door, enter my room, change, and fall into my bed to sleep. In the distant future, I will get up the next day (or later that day) for another day of school, another day in my life.