This multimedia project, Balancing Act, follows Amelia Anderson, a senior at Pennsylvania State University studying Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies (CAMS), as she navigates the layered demands of her final year of undergraduate schooling. Moving between roles as a student, yoga instructor, and young adult living with Type 1 Diabetes, Amelia's story unfolds as an intimate portrait of resilience shaped by both choice and circumstance.
The film traces her nonlinear college journey, marked by two transfers driven by a desire to be closer to home, as she studies what she loves. Her search for belonging led her to a campus yoga community, where she found grounding and purpose, as she stepped into a role as an instructor. Through observational footage and personal reflection, Balancing Act captures the tension between control and surrender, as well as discipline and vulnerability, which defines both her yoga practice and day to day life.
At its core, the documentary engages with the quieter, often unseen weight of chronic illness. Diagnosed at the age of two, Amelia speaks honestly and candidly about the persistent grief and limitations that accompany her chronic illness, as well as her frustration of feeling held back from her full potential. Rather than framing her experience as inspirational or resolved, this project seeks to show an honest reflection of the college experience of living with Type 1 Diabetes, which allows space for fatigue and uncertainty.
As she prepares for graduation in December, Amelia reflects on this transitional period of her life which is both isolating and formative. A quiet chapter marked by introspection, endurance and an ongoing effort to remain present while still anticipating what lies ahead. Balancing Act ultimately asks what it means to live a life in balance, when stability is never guaranteed.
