The lights. The bobby pins. The smell of fresh sweat mixed with hairspray. The butterflies in my stomach. Over the span of thirteen years, these things became an essential part of my life. When I was five years old, I started taking Irish Step Dance lessons, totally unaware of how much it would change my life. As a senior in high school, I ended my career as a dancer, choosing to focus on college and my future. Though I no longer don a curly wig and pair of poodle socks, I continue to carry with me the lessons I learned from all those years in the studio and on the stage:

1. Fake It Till You Make It

I cannot even begin to tell you how many times I have stood on that stage and thought, "Oh my God, what comes after the second rhythm pattern? What's my routine? What's my name?!" Yup. Actually wondered that once as I stood with a smile on my face and my head held high. The key to being any kind of performer is looking like you know what you are doing. During my first regional solo, I was so nervous that I felt like I was going to lay an egg or something. But my teacher told me to act like I was the best dancer there ever was — and I did. I stuck out my chest, smiled at the judges, lifted my chin, and pretended like I was not terrified. This applies nicely to life in general. Whether I am giving a presentation or wearing a bikini on the beach, it is all about acting like I am cool, calm, and collected, even when I definitely am not.

2. There Is No "I" In Team, Even If There Is One In "Win"

I was involved in both team and solo dancing, and I realized that while doing a solo dance was fun, winning with a team and working with one in general was much more rewarding. When I won first place at a competition for the first time, I smiled, accepted my trophy and took my place on the podium, giving my friend, who has placed second, a little squeeze with on the shoulder as I passed. I am not saying winning on my own was not great, because achieving something of your own volition feels wonderful. But there is something extra special about being surrounded by your screaming friends on the over-crowded podium as your team accepts first place. You all shed an equal amount of blood (yes, blood, our toenails frequently fell off), sweat and tears to get where you are and sharing it with people is a feeling of pure bliss. As I move through life, I remind myself how great it feels to work with others to reach a common goal.

3. Winning Is Not Everything

I know what you are thinking: "She just blabbed on for a full paragraph about how great it is to win with her friends and now she is telling me that winning is not even that great?" Well, yeah. The hours I spent in the studio with my friends getting our butts kicked were some of the best of my life. I am still in touch with many of the people I danced with, and every Irish Dancer forges a bond for life just based on the understanding of the culture. Even though winning first place that year was an amazing experience, it does not compare to the time my teacher stopped the class to point out how much my "hunchback" posture had improved. Little things like that and my friendships are the reason I loved dancing so much, and it is important to remember the little things in life that truly have an impact on you.

4. Even The Harshest Criticism Is Meant To Help You

I remember a few times when my dance teachers made me cry. She would call me lazy, or yell that my toes were so turned up that she could pick my nose with them. She would ask if I had size double D boobs because I was so hunched over (I was 13 at the time). Yes, those comments sounded mean, but they were meant to call attention to what I was doing wrong, and at the end of class she would always offer me a lollipop and say, "Good job, girlfriend." My dance teacher is an amazing woman, and though she was harsh sometimes she really helped me to see through the insult to the critique she was trying to make. Eventually, I had almost perfect posture and a thicker skin, too.

5. Literally Everyone Has An Off Day

I have had days when in the studio when I just sat down and said "I am so not feeling this today." I have had days on stage when I slipped or messed up my routine and had to smile through it (fake it till you make it, remember?). But you know what, so has everyone. We all have had days that were a trainwreck, in the dance world and real life, so do not beat yourself up if you do poorly on a test or fart on a date or something like that. It is okay. No one, not even Justin Timberlake, is perfect.

6. Shake It Off

The number of times I have twisted my ankle, hurt my shins, or popped a painful blister is uncountable. But you learn, overtime, to get over it and push through the pain. My parents were never those "rub some dirt on it" people, and neither were my dance teachers. If someone fell, they would stop the music to ensure they were okay. For me, however, I would always feel bad if I got hurt and could not practice with the rest of the team because it was hurting them more than it was me.

Even though there is a huge solo aspect to Irish Step, dancing taught me to put the needs of others before myself, no matter what.