My eighth grade year, my friends and I decided on a whim to audition for a musical at school. Little did I know this tiny decision would shake the core of who I was. Here are the top 10 things drama and theater have taught me about myself and about others.

1. Being yourself really isn’t that bad.

We are surrounded by a society in which people are forced into a mold time and time again. Being a part of various musicals and plays and through playing characters, I learned that oftentimes, being ourselves is the best thing we can be. Not to sound cliché but through playing outrageous characters (one time the script said “rolls off the stage like a jelly doughnut”), I learned being different is OK. And while it took almost four years of theater to learn it, it’s a lesson I wouldn’t change for the world.

2. People have different talents, and we should never feel inferior as a result.

Drama is often stigmatized by catty behavior and competition, but the group I was involved with was slightly less so. We accepted the fact that different people were stronger than others in dancing, singing, acting and so on. This is key in thriving in your strengths — the minute you give up comparing yourself to other people is the moment you have set yourself up for success.

3. The quiet people are often most interesting and best to be around.

This is just a plain fact. They people watch all the time and as a result, have some of the best responses to situations.

4. People are never what you assume.

For example, I clashed all the time with one particular girl in middle school, but now five shows later and she is one of my closest friends. Often with theater, you are around the same people all the time so there is no question as to whether or not you will clash. This forces you to realize things about people you wouldn’t have otherwise.

5. Fear disappears on the stage.

While I can’t speak for everyone, I can say for someone who has struggled with high anxiety in unpredictable situations, as soon as I step on stage, the pit in my stomach disappears, which is definitely a good thing because if anything is unpredictable it is theater. This taught me that oftentimes, stepping out is all we need to do, and God will take care of the rest.

6. If you can handle the stress of Tech Week you can handle any Exam Week stress.

There is no stress that matches that of the week before the show, constantly worrying about scenes and whether or not all the set will be done and not to mention keeping up with your schoolwork. It will definitely feed your coffee addiction and love of messy buns.

7. The bond of a cast, while it may not last forever, is priceless.

The closeness that occurs as a result of everyone doing something they love together is unmatched and definitely worth it.

8. The songs will forever be stuck in your head.

I still belt the songs from my first ever musical from four years ago, because why not?

9. Playing a character teaches you a ton about yourself and your own personality.

I have played both an old British woman and a quirky "Alice in Wonderland" character, and both taught me things about myself. Through learning another individual’s role in a story, you discover how similar and different you are from them, therefore learning about yourself.

10. Choreographed dancing is way harder than it looks.

I mean, jazz squares are complicated…or maybe it’s just me.