Before coming to college, I was an Irish Step Dancer for 13 years. I loved the thrill of performing, the nerves before going on stage, and the unbreakable bonds I formed with my fellow dancers. In college I missed dancing desperately, but knew that Lafayette's varsity dance team was not the way to go. Image an Irish Dancer trying to sway her hips (shout out to my dancing friends who will get why this is funny). For the first year of school, I did nothing with dance, except for at parties.

Sophomore year, one of my closest guy friends eagerly told me that the one of the theater groups, The Marquis Players, had chosen Cabaret as their production, and that the troupe needed dancers. I scoffed, reminding him that the only time I sang was when I was in the car, and I was pretty sure my car hated me for it. Determined, my friend introduced me to the director and the choreographer, both of whom seemed very excited about the show and about the prospect of me joining the Marquis Players. A little reluctant but also extremely curious, I agreed to audition.

The. Experience. Was. Indescribable.

I am not exaggerating when I say that my favorite memory in college so far is opening night of the show. Last week, the Marquis Players held auditions for the show this semester, 9 to 5, and it made me realize how excited I was to be back with my theater family. Not only am I happier as a theater nerd, I am exponentially cooler for quite a few reasons.

1. More Confident

I'll admit it: I was shaking when I went in for my audition last year. Sitting in front of me where 5 people that I did not know very well, and that I very much wanted to impress. To make matters worse, they were the first human beings to hear me sing by myself. But I made it, and I sang as best I could, and was thrilled when I learned I had sung and danced well enough to be a KIt Kat dancer in the show. As time went on, I became more and more confident in both myself and my acting abilities, even coming up with an on-stage alter ego since my character did not have a name. When It was finally time to go onstage, I expected to feel a swarm of butterflies flitting around in my stomach, but I just felt pure excitement. I knew that our show was good, and I knew that I would be able to remember all of my dances. For the first time, I was confident as I performed.

2. A better dancer

Irish dancing has taught me poise, incredible rhythm, and perfect posture. However, one thing I never learned as a was how to act or, as the choreographer said, "have the vibe" that the numbers needed. Along with learning some killer new moves and becoming more comfortable with a different type of dance, I also learned how to use my facial expressions to make the audience believe the story.

3. Hip with the Lingo

Stage left means right, stage right means left, striking the set means taking everything apart, vibe means the underlying feeling of the number, a reprise is a repeated piece of music through the musical, there are many scenes within an act, it's not practice, it's rehearsal, crescendo means to sing (or play) gradually louder, blocking is when the director tells you where to stand or move during a scene, off-book is when you have memorized your lines, and in four-four time, a quarter note gets one beat. Boom.

4. A whole new community to call my friend

When they say that theater brings you close together, they are NOT kidding. Over the course of three months, a cast full of strangers became my family and some of my best friends.

5. I have way more fun now!

Not only do I get to attend rehearsals and fun family dinners, but my cast mates and I hang out all the time on weekends. I love always knowing I have people to play games and chat with on Saturday nights.

6. I am more adventurous

I am by NO means a singer...or at least I didn't think I was. By stepping out of my comfort zone and being part of Marquis Players, I proved to myself that I can have fun doing new things. Now I am way more likely to try something else that I wouldn't have done before.

7. Better idea of who I am

For 13 years, whenever people asked me about myself, I was able to tell them that I was an Irish Step Dancer. When asked this same question in college, I blanked out. What was I? A former dancer? A Bostonian? I felt this terrible emptiness and frustration at not being able to identify a passion to tell people about. Now however, I can proudly say that I am a theater kid and a Marquis Player and I know that I love to preform and be with friends. More importantly, I learned just how capable I was of being able to quiet the butterflies in my stomach that has previously held me back.

8. I was a featured dancer in a college production of Cabaret...what did you do today?

Enough said.