Growing up as a competitive dancer brought me so much joy and happiness. It taught me countless life lessons that I will cherish and remember forever. After I graduated high school and made my college decision, I knew it was not time for me to stop dancing quite yet.

Ever since I was a little freshman in high school, I always dreamed of being on a college dance team. Once I got to college and actually became a part of my school's dance team, the unexpected happened: I realized how amazing being on a college dance team really is and why it was the best decision I've ever made.

If you’re a dancer looking into college, definitely think about these 6 HUGE perks of joining your college dance team:

1. Getting Involved.

One thing I knew going into college was that I needed to get involved in clubs and activities in order to make the most of my college experience. Being on a college dance team does just that! You are supporting your school and showing spirit, as well as attending and performing at various events on campus. It can also lead to other opportunities down the road!

2. Making New Friends.

Going to college can be super hard and scary for a lot of us. Making friends can be challenging, but being on a dance team and being around people all the time allows you to get very close to many people. You all also have a commonality: dancing. You have things to talk about right off the bat!

3. Avoiding The "Freshman Fifteen."

I don’t know about you, but I’ve had numerous people tell me to be careful about the dreaded “freshman 15.” It honestly scared me. I did not want to gain that much weight in a short amount of time! By joining the team, it allows me to exercise often during the week. I also still watch what I eat in order to avoid bad practices. Nobody wants that.

4. Unique Opportunities.

I was on my high school dance team and competed with my studio all throughout high school; so, I was used to performing. On a college dance team, you get to dance at football and basketball games, school activities and events, and even compete at college dance team competitions. You don’t get those opportunities just by sitting around!

5. Time Management.

Most of us dancers come into college already having good time management skills, as we had to balance dancing every day with schoolwork and other activities.

It gets even harder in college.

In college, you usually start off with more free time and less class time; so, you have to push yourself and have discipline in order to get work done. Because practices are usually held multiple times per week, you have more going on and need to hone in on your skills in order to succeed in the classroom and outside of it.

6. You Continue Dancing.

The biggest reason for joining a college dance team for me, personally, was the fact that you get to continue dancing. Dancing has been a huge part of my life for so many years, and I knew that I was not finished with it just yet.

Eighteen is such a young age to stop dancing. If you feel you have more left in you, then continue.

No one is stopping you. They have college dance teams for a reason!