During her high school years, Messing acted and sang in a number of high school productions. For example, she was a main character in the musicals "Annie" and "Fiddler on the Roof". Messing took lessons in dance, singing, and acting. While her parents encouraged her dream of becoming an actress, they also urged her to finish a liberal arts education before deciding on acting as a career. Following their advice, Messing attended Brandeis University in Waltham, Massachusetts. During her junior year, she studied theater at the well-known London-based British European Studio Group program. This experience made her sure that she wanted to be an actress.