Brandon Joule is a UA theater freshman. I found the fellow Wildcat sitting in a rather secluded little area in the UA Bookstore with his face buried in a book. He didn’t seem fazed at all by having some reporter come up and ask him about his life.

“In high school, I had always thought theater looked interesting; but it took me a while to decide to sign up for it. I finally decided, like, why not?” Joule said. “I started theater because it looked kind of fun, and through that I also ended up trying directing and dancing.”

It was very clear that Joule felt strongly about his pursuits and knew that theater was his calling.

“We ended up doing different competitions and stuff, and I got really involved,” Joule said. “I didn’t love all of what I tried, but because I took advantage of the opportunities, I was able to find the things I love and feel passionately about.”

Seeing people succeed in their aspirations is always heartwarming, but watching Joule talk about the illuminating moment when he realized what he truly wanted out of life was very special.

“I remember the first play I did where I felt like I really belonged. There was a play in high school called ‘Detective Sketches,’ and I played the lead role of the detective,” Joule said. “It was the biggest role I’ve ever been in, and it was a lot of fun. And, as it turns out, I did pretty well.”

Joule shared the one piece of advice he would have for anyone, particularly people coming into college.

“If you have an interest in something or you think you might, give it a try,” Joule said. “Keep trying new things and keep exploring. You never know where you might find your passion.”

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