For the entirety of my high school career, I was involved in my school's chorus. My junior and senior year, I participated in the school musicals. Those were four years well spent and the experiences I had are ones I wouldn't trade for anything.
September 11th through 17th is National Arts in Education week and since the humanities were and continue to be very important to me (English major ride or die), I thought I would highlight some of my favorite lessons from my choir days.
1. It's okay to look ridiculous
Throughout high school I was pretty self-conscious but some of the most fun I've ever had was while wearing nasty and/or ridiculous stage makeup (for example, see picture below). You don't need to look good to have a good time.
2. You can't be good at everything
I can't dance. I used to think I danced like a mom until my roommate said I was just a bad dancer but I can sing pretty well. What can you do?
3. A little competition never hurt anyone
It was pretty cutthroat getting into musicals but it made everyone trying out work harder. Did it make me fiercely competitive later? Absolutely. Has it paid off? I'll keep you posted, but I think so.
4. Hard work always pays off
While this does tie in with my previous point, this is mainly talking about the overall outcome of a musical or a choir concert. There were so many hours put in and a lot of sleep-deprived weeks where my friends and I were all extremely cranky, but there was a reason our school was known for its musicals.
5. Future roommates won't like all the singing
Listen, I owe my roommate a lot of credit because I never shut up. I'm always singing and my voice is really high so it gets annoying after a while.
6. Neither will the people who live on your floor
But it turns out I'm not the only one in the room who likes to sing. My roommate and I frequently will jump into duets. Our RA last year told us she could hear us. Sorry.
7. Some of those songs will never leave
There are certain songs we've sang for concerts, or certain songs from musicals that I'm never going to forget. Those songs still get stuck in my head and it's difficult because...
8. No one else is going to understand the jokes
9. You're going to miss it sometimes
When I got to college I got so busy with school and work that I don't really have time to audition for the choir or the musical. It just makes me all the happier that I got the chance to do it in high school.
