Alexis Carra Accepts Her Failures: And So Should You

Alexis Carra has come a long way from her days of AP Bio and Student Forum. Now, she’s giving students the advice she wishes she had.

Isabella Schlact, Co-Editor-in-Chief|September 25, 2016

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Isabella Schlact
GOOD OLD DAYS: Carra reminisces about her days in Upper Division.

This month, Alexis Carra ‘99 spoke with Berkeley’s Upper Division, sharing her personal experiences during her student and professional careers. Carra was Student Forum Vice President her senior year and an active member of Berkeley’s Theatre program. Since graduating from Yale University with a degree in Theatre Studies, Carra has starred on both the stage and screen, with roles in Gypsy, Les Girls, Mixology and Recovery Road. She’s also made guest appearances on Grey’s Anatomy and NCIS.

 

Even though Carra seems to have all, with her Ivy League alumnus status, successful career and frizz-free curls, she admitted that her life is not always perfect. Carra is currently looking for her next project, and her immediate future is somewhat uncertain. “I’m not really sure where the next thing is,” she says. “It’s very vulnerable for me to be up here and sharing that, but the truth is (especially as an actor) that your career goes up and then it goes down…and so right now, I’m in the middle of things.”

 

During Carra’s senior year, she ran for Student Forum President and was shocked when she fell runner-up to her classmate, Neil. She accepted her spot as Student Forum Vice President, and she ended up working well with Neil. She admitted that the two of them learned from each other. Carra wishes she learned to accept failures and setbacks sooner, though she empathizes with Upper Division students’ stressors. “You all have high standards. You are surrounded by faculty members who expect a lot out of you,” she says. “Who you are and growing and achieving those [standards] is the actual success in it of itself, even if you don’t actually get the thing that you wanted.  I know that’s kind of a hard thing to wrap your brain around, but the more you can start to hold yourself to your own personal standard, the better you’ll be off in the end of life.”
Carra is reachable by Facebook and says she loves it when the Berkeley community reaches out to her.

Revision: A previous edition of this article stated that Carra graduated in 1996, when she in fact graudated in 1999.