Imagine this: You are standing onstage in your proper position, fully costumed and in make-up, for the opening night of your show. The audience, not visible through the closed main curtain, talks excitedly amongst themselves. Everybody in the cast is bursting with energy trying to make sure everything is prepared and in its place, so the show can run smoothly. You and the rest of the cast have been preparing for this night for months, perfecting every line, every song, every dance. It all comes down to tonight. The lights dim and the crowd hushes, the theater filling with quiet anticipation in both actors and audience. For a moment, the only sound you can hear is the buzzing in your head (from excitement or nerves, you can't tell). Suddenly, the curtain slides open and you're off!

I got into theater my freshman year of high school. At that time, it was not necessarily out of love of theater itself. I hoped that I could improve my acting skills so I could eventually get rich and famous. Needless to say, that did not happen. However, about halfway through the first musical, I realized that I genuinely liked theater and proceeded to get involved in every show after that. It was not until I graduated high school that I realized just how much it taught me about other people and myself, and it can teach you too. Here are 9 things theater taught me about life:

I only hope that others can learn as much from theater as I have. These lessons have all carried me farther in life than I could imagine. Every friend I made, every rehearsal, and every performance have all made me the person I am today.