Taking on the role of being a "Theater Kid" comes with many stereotypes: annoying, weird, awkward, loud, talkative, and above all TALENTED (hopefully). Do you ever wonder why theater kids always stick together? There are many reasons, but I'm going to throw a couple out there so that you "common folk" (nontheater weirdos) understand this obscure specie that I call my own (just in case you decide to befriend one of these gems in the future, which I would highly suggest).

First off, we don't understand sports. So when everybody talks about the latest football draft or soccer blah blah blah, we smile and nod but secretly are thinking about what it would take for us to play an athlete when most of us haven't touched any type of equipment other than a microphone probably our entire lives. A talented athlete AND a talented actor/singer/dancer is very rare, so if you can do both- kudos, bro.

We're flirtatious. We're used to flirting with just about every person we come in contact with. The reason being, if we're charismatic, we get cast. Sometimes it's hard to turn off the flirt in our everyday conversation, so if you see us flirting anything that breathes, don't be alarmed, we're programmed to be that way. Don't get me wrong, flirting with everyone you see can be a bit much, and since most theater kids are awkward beyond belief, what we think is flirting may very well be creepy as hell but we can't help it.

We may be the outcast, but we don't care. We know you're talking about us when we're walking in front of you singing our heads off, but at the end of the day, ya'll are going to come see our shows and come back for more, so it's no skin off our back if people think we're weird because we most likely will be more known than the average college student once we've had a few gigs under our belt.

We're loud. We won't be hard to spot in a group of people. Most of us want to make you do a double-take, what can we say? We love the attention. When we thrive off of applause and tickets sales, can you blame us? Going along with the "not caring" aspect, we'll want you to know we're there, so get used to the obnoxious laughs and simultaneous singing of Hamilton, Heathers and RENT, you'll learn to love it.

Most of us have an odd taste in fashion. Whether it's video game graphic tees, rainbows galore, or anything in between, we use our clothes to express ourselves. Going back to the sports thing, if we own an article of clothing that has to do with a specific team, it's probably a joke or definitely not ours but it somehow ended up in our closet. Considering when in a show you're shoved into a costume you most definitely don't want to wear, when we're not in rehearsal, we're sure to let our freak flag wave. (Shrek the Musical pun intended). Most of us are extremely pale because we don't get much sunlight, and if you don't own at least 17 pairs of skinny jeans, you're frowned upon.

We're dramatic. We just are...sorry not sorry?

We spend all of our time together. And if we aren't, it's probably for the better. During the rehearsal process (and especially tech week) we spend every waking moment together. And when we leave rehearsal, we'll probably go out together because what's the point of making new friends when you've seen every side of your theater friends from the endless hours you've spent with them?

When a show's over, we're heartbroken and relieved. We finally get to sleep, but all of our hard work is done and quite possibly might never be talked about again. If you didn't see the show, you won't have any more chances, revival to revival is completely different no matter what the reviews tell you. Theater kids are genuinely EXTREMELY nostalgic and will want to have a session where they just listen to music from shows they've been in to make themselves cry. No harm in crying if you're with your friends, right?

We run on Starbucks. I'll speak for everyone and come right out and say that when you're running on 3 hours of sleep and dance for 10 hours straight for 7 days a week, you'll need all the espresso you can get. Sometimes you have to take one for the team and be the designated person to go and get the 90 drinks for cast and crew, but you do it anyway because you know someone will be doing it again 5 hours from then.

Showtunes are a must. If you're not a theater kid, but you hang out with them, you'll learn to love show tunes, or you can't sit with us. Either bring some earplugs or listen up to the latest shows we're into because the show tunes NEVER. STOP. And when they come on in the car, we know every harmony and will probably make up some of our own.

There are some inside jokes you'll never understand. Most of us don't even know what we're saying sometimes, just go with it. We think lots of things are funny, even if they're alien to the outside world. A theater kid's humor and your average Joe's humor are two COMPLETELY different things.

Well there you have it, you know things now (many valuable things). Because of these things, I call my fellow theater kids my family, families fight, they want to kill each other sometimes, but the end all be all of it is we love them. I wouldn't be who I am today without every Theater Kid, professor, or techie I've come in contact with because we all have an understanding of each other no one else would understand...so don't try to understand us, you'll fail miserably. You'll hate to love us and love to hate us, but we're the best kind of people around.