1. Your life revolved around your practice schedule
"Hey, wanna hang out?"
"Let me check my cheer schedule... Oh sorry I have three practices, two games and a competition."
2. Homecoming
It was one of the best days of the cheerleading year. You get to wear one of the football player's jerseys and put the eye-black stickers on your cheeks. And, of course, you get to walk in the homecoming parade which is always fun.
3. Getting your competition music
It was like Christmas morning when you got to listen to your new music for the first time. Everyone gathered around the CD player and listened in complete silence so you didn't miss a single "ding."
4. Camp
Summer camp was the most bittersweet part of it all. You looked forward to it but also dreaded the heat, the getting up early, and the extremely long days. But it was always cool getting your Big Brother/Sister and so rewarding leaving with the Top Banana award (super coveted for cheerleaders) and winning Camp Champs.
5. Football season
Standing on the track under the stadium lights while an intense play is happening behind you on the field and the crowd is all on their feet screaming for the team along with you is an incredible feeling.
6. The hair
If you haven't rocked the poof at least once in your life, were you even really a cheerleader?
7. The makeup
You've probably had more glitter on your face than you imagined would be possible... especially for competition.
8. New uniform
Although this didn't happen super often, when it did, it was a totally big deal to pick out all of the details of how the new uni would look in the Varsity catalogue.
9. All the other cute apparel
Between camp clothes, UCA gear and the random shirts you bought at competitions, your wardrobe was filled with cheerleading clothes galore.
10. Bows
Your bow collection grew significantly each season between getting new bows through your team and stocking up on them at competitions.
11. Forming bonds
Whether it was with your teammates or your coaches, you spent hours upon hours together. And even though you may have fought like siblings, you formed friendships that will last you a lifetime.
12. Competitions
There are few feelings in the world that compare to the rush of adrenaline that hits you as you step onto the blue mat at a competition. Blinding lights in your face that make the audience near invisible. Screams from all of the people there to support you and your team. And the sound of your routine music blaring through the speakers. Two minutes and 30 seconds to impress the judges. What a rush.
13. Success
After the pre-performance anxiety wore down, you were able to breathe until awards time. Then you had to sit on the blue mat with your team, holding hands and praying that your best was good enough. And hearing your team name announced along with the phrase "first place" reminded you that all of your hard work was so worth it.
