So, you broke up with high school. You graduated, and you moved on. That means you also moved on from your high school involvement. From football, band, PALs, or many other extra-curricular activities, we all had some great memories. But, if you’re like me, you were a cheerleader. You lived for those Friday night lights, could not wait to laugh until you cry with your best friends, and thrived off of the energy with those same girls.

Here is a list of what some of you “ex-cheerleaders” like me can relate to:

1. You hear a song and automatically start performing choreographed cheer motions to it.

2. You have to explain to new people you meet that the scar you have on your right arm or left ankle or left elbow is from your stunt group in high school.

3. Secretly, you still critique any other cheerleaders you see.

4. You have plenty of Halloween costumes (or cheer uniforms… they can double) your friends can borrow.

5. You still have ongoing inside jokes with the girls you cheered with.

6. You can currently recite your entire school song/cheer with the cheerleaders. Coach put me in!

7. When watching a sport, you have perfected clapping and cheering with the crowd even though you have no idea what is actually happening.

8. Anyone know how to make signs? That’s not even a question for us ex-cheerleaders.

10. Sometimes you wake up with a backache and you know it’s still hurting from three years ago when you completely butchered that tumbling pass.

11. You see your mom still wearing your old cheer shirts. #basic #cheermom

12. When Christmas rolls around, you have high expectations. If the bows on your presents aren’t as big as the bows you once put in your hair, you’re doing it wrong.

13. You have an unforgettable bond with your stunt group. I mean, you guys were close… literally.

14. Embarrassment never hits you anymore because you’ve felt your cheeks turn red too many times forgetting your motions at pep rallies.

15. If you were a flyer, people touching you does not even phase you anymore. As long as they caught you, it didn’t matter where they grabbed you.

16. Anyone still in high school need t-shirts? Not to worry, us ex-cheerleaders have plenty of extra t-shirts laying around.

17. When you compare physical exhaustion to high school cheer camp.

18. You know how to smile when you really don’t want to. It’s an actual life skill.

19. Whether you see them often or it’s just through social media, you still keep in touch with your cheer coaches because, let’s face it, they saw you from your best to your worst.

20. If needed, you have acquired a mad skill of keeping your hair out of your face when jumping up and down.

21. If you’re ever feeling nostalgic, you have endless amounts of photos to look at of you and your friends cheering. Thanks Mom!

Needless to say, these were some crazy, fun memories. Thank you to all of my fellow ex-cheerleaders for all of the good times!