Way back in the day (and by that, I mean three years ago) dance and cheer were my life. I love to reminisce about these days and I know other people that did these sports feel the same way. For this reason, here are seven things you'll remember if you did these things:

1. The studio/gym

AKA where you spent every waking moment of the day when you weren’t home or at school. These places truly became your second home, as you likely slept there occasionally and ate multiple meals there a week if you were me. Your teachers, coaches, and fellow athletes became your second family. And you loved every second of it, though (most of the time).

2. The costumes/uniforms

One of the most exciting days of being a dancer and/or cheerleader was when you got to try these bad boys on for the first time. Sometimes they were everything you ever dreamed of, other times they were a little strange, and a couple times they were downright hideous. Most of the time, they were uncomfortable but you didn’t care because you looked fly af.

3. The music

If A switch doesn’t flip in you when one of your old songs or mixes comes on, you’re lying. I still can whip out routines from when I was 7 and I’m pretty damn proud of that.

4. The parents

You might think Dance Moms is just a show, but that is totally false. They (and cheer moms) are real and can be just as vicious as the show makes them out to be. They will do everything in their power to make sure their child succeeds and makes it to the top of the pyramid – whether it be a figurative one or an actual stunt. Or both.

5. The competition

Sure, you’re friends with everyone in your class or on your team, but that doesn’t change the fact that you want to be better than every single one of them. I mean, there are only some many spots in the front and so many solos/duets/trios given out. You’ve known it’s a dog-eat-dog world since you were five-years-old.

6. The injuries

Name any injury. I am willing to bet you can most definitely acquire it from dancing and cheering. Over the years, I’ve seen concussions, broken bones, tears, and dislocations. Yet, despite these injuries, dancers and cheerleaders seem to be some of the most eager athletes to recover and get back into their respective sports.

7. The cool tricks

While I have certainly lost some flexibility and strength in the past couple years, I can still do a split and could probably still base for some stunts if I tried (maybe). The things we used to do for fun leave us with an abundance of party tricks. Pretty cool, if you ask me.