04 Feb “Fold in the Cheese”: What Moira Rose Can Teach Us About the College Process
With the recent passing of the legendary Catherine O’Hara, the world hasn’t just lost a brilliant actress; we’ve lost a masterclass in agility.
Most of us fell in love with her all over again as Moira Rose in Schitt’s Creek. Moira was a woman who took life—and herself—with a level of dramatic seriousness that was both exhausting and aspirational. But beneath the designer wigs and the eccentric vocabulary was a woman who knew how to make lemonade out of the most bitter of lemons.
As I work with students at Academic Access, I’ve realized that the “Moira-isms” we laughed at are actually exactly what a teenager needs to survive the college admissions roller coaster.
Here is why every college applicant needs a little bit of Moira Rose in their corner:
1. The Gift of Agility
Moira Rose arrived in a run-down motel with nothing but her “bebes” (her wigs) and her dignity. She thought her life was over, but instead, she became the most agile person in the room.
In the college process, things rarely go exactly as planned. You might get deferred from your dream school, or you might realize mid-journey that the big university you wanted feels like a cold mansion. Being agile means being able to pivot. It’s about looking at a “motel” situation—an unexpected school choice or a waitlist—and realizing you have the power to make it fabulous.
2. Taking Life “Seriously,” but Staying Flexible
Moira was nothing if not dramatic. She felt every setback deeply (usually while retreating to a dark closet). And let’s be real: the college process is a bit of a drama. It feels high-stakes because it is.
But Moira never stayed in the closet for long. She’d emerge with a new outfit and a new plan. I tell my students: it’s okay to feel the “drama” of a rejection. It’s okay to take your future seriously. But like Moira, you have to be able to “fold in the cheese”—to take the ingredients you’ve been given and figure out how to make a masterpiece, even if you don’t know exactly what you’re doing yet.
3. Owning Your Authenticity (Even the Quirky Parts)
Moira Rose never tried to “fit in” to Schitt’s Creek. She brought her full, eccentric, un-diluted self to every Town Council meeting.
This is the “human hook” I look for in every personal statement. Too often, students try to sound like what they think a college wants—they try to be the “motel” version of themselves. But the essays that actually work are the ones that are unashamedly authentic. Admissions officers at Michigan, UVA, or Duke don’t want a generic student; they want the student who brings their own unique “vocabulary” and perspective to campus.
4. The “Lemonade” Factor
Ultimately, Moira’s story was about resilience. She was a “people magnet” not because she was rich, but because she was interesting. She took a situation that looked like a “No” and turned it into a triumphant “Yes.”
When a student faces a deferral or a setback, I want them to tap into that Moira energy. I want them to realize that their value doesn’t come from the mansion they used to live in (or the “top 10” school they didn’t get into)—it comes from their ability to thrive wherever they land.
The Bottom Line
At Academic Access, we help students find their “perfect spot,” even if it isn’t the one they originally pictured. Whether we are navigating the “fall crunch” or brainstorming an essay about a “flame-painted school bus,” we are looking for that Moira-inspired agility.
Catherine O’Hara taught us that life is unpredictable, frequently ridiculous, and occasionally very stressful. But if you keep your sense of humor, stay agile, and learn how to “fold in the cheese,” you’ll always find your way home.
So, to all my students heading into the “spring sprint”: Be bold, be authentic, and as Moira would say, “Don’t let the crows win!”