I stepped off the escalator onto the fourth floor of Piper's Alley in Chicago. I glanced nervously around the room, my eyes landed on the large sign that read: "The Second City Training Center." I slowly made my way down the hall to the classroom and joined the thirteen other students in an informal circle at the center of the room. Our first assignment was simple, we were asked to say our name and told to do any sort of fun movement with it, improvising; after all, this was an improv/comedy camp. This small physical comedy began to cause me so much anxiety, as I worried about looking dumb in front of my new peers. I closed my eyes and when it was finally my turn to introduce myself, I took a shaky, nervous breath and said my name while trying my best to perform jazz hands that didn’t look too awkward or embarrassing. I fixated my eyes on the floor because I couldn’t bear to look at the faces staring at me because I was expecting judgment. However, when I slowly looked up the focus had already moved on to the boy sitting next to me. I quickly realized that putting myself out there and acting "silly" wasn't as scary as it sounded. I learned what improv really was in that moment; I just had to trust myself, stay confident and rely on those around me to support my actions and trust them not to judge me. I did the same for them.

For those two weeks each classroom I was taught in, all my teachers, directors, fellow campers and most importantly, my improv material, became a part of my journey and even me. By the end of the two weeks at camp, all my fears had dissipated. When I stepped on stage for the final performance in front of my family and friends, I felt free.

I didn’t let my journey with improv and discovering myself end here, I continued with this camp for 6 more years, doing everything from sketch comedy to standup comedy. This past summer, I even ventured into comedic song-writing and singing (listen for my debut single, “Please don't do that on the train”). I can’t believe I didn't even know what improv was until my parents told me that I was going to become "An Improv Star" when I was eleven. I am the person I am today, at seventeen, because of the way I was shaped during the annual two weeks at camp. I learned to grab ahold of all opportunities that are presented to me. I learned to think on my feet. I learned to believe in myself. This camp made me the confident, independent and hard-working person I am today and I wouldn’t change a thing.