In October 2012, one year ago, I decided to quit my retail job in NYC and become a full-time actor. I put in my two-weeks notice right before Halloween; little did I know that a Hurricane was heading our way. Sandy destroyed many homes, businesses and lives in New York, but I was fortunate enough not to lose power and watched the whole ordeal on the news as it happened. It was devastating and the repercussions from the storm still linger.
I was terrified as I realized that I (willingly) no longer had a job. Paying rent and the cost of living in NYC is not easy to handle if you don’t have a consistent income. Most TV/Movie sets were closed for days after the storm, some studios were impossible to get to because all of the subways had been closed. Slowly but surely, the TV and Film industry started to get back to work, and so did I.
In the past year I’ve worked on incredible television shows, films, student projects, festival shorts, music videos and commercials. I’ve built up my resume and my confidence while making new friendships and connections. I am so happy and excited about the life that I have been able to live!
….And I am very happy to announce that I am now officially SAG-AFTRA eligible; meaning I can apply to any Union jobs, and join the Screen Actor’s Guild/American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (now merged).
The decision to join the Union is something I am still considering deeply, as it means that I will no longer have the option of doing student projects, web series or non-union commercials.
Thank you to everyone who has helped me along the way this past year and I look forward to growing as an artist in the years to come!
~Krista
kritatun.wordpress.com 
Good luck sweetie 🙂
So proud of you and the perseverence that you have shown, the courage you have in your quest to become an actor, and the success you have attained. Never give up your dream and always believe in yourself while staying strong in your faith.
Congrats, Krista! Keep up the good work.