Throughout high school, I was what one would consider a "Theater Nerd," or "Theater Geek," or whatever label that would associate me with those kids in the auditorium. I have been in fifteen productions, whether it was acting, stage managing, directing, working lighting, or flying in the air with Peter Pan as Wendy Darling. I was even a member of the International Thespian Society and on my company's Board of Directors as the Director of Finances.

What I am trying to get at is that I was incredibly involved in theatre throughout high school and when it came time for graduation, I was a little heartbroken that my theatre days were over.

Starting college and knowing that I would not have theater to occupy my time after my classes was a little weird at first. I had to figure out what I was going to do with the free time I had and adjust to not having my friends constantly around me.

Seeing my theatre friends that are still in high school post on social media about auditions coming up and annual company parties made me feel left out and like I was being punished for graduating high school. However, as my first semester in college progressed, I began to realize that even though I am not in theater, theater will always be a part of me.

Here are a few ways high school theatre has helped me in my first semester of college:

1. Socializing

Being a part of an extracurricular activity in high school has definitely proved to be a blessing in college. When you are sitting in a group in one of your classes and it is awkward because no one is talking, start talking about what you were involved with in high school! I found out that a lot more people did theatre in high school than what I thought, and it proved to be a great icebreaker. Also, keep in mind that people LOVE to talk about themselves, so asking what someone liked to do in high school is a great way to get people to open up.

2. Time Management

Even though I am not a part of theatre in college, being a thespian in high school helped me learn how to manage my time effectively. There would be days that I would have homework in every class and a couple of tests to study for, but I was not able to make progress on any of that until after rehearsal, which would end at 7:00 pm.

Having to go through this schedule for all of high school taught me how to prioritize and to figure out what was important for getting done first. Now that I am in college, I can apply those skills to my coursework.

3. Speech class

Yes, if you attend Eastern Michigan University, speech class is one of those annoying requirements that you have to take in order to complete all of your general education requirements.

For some, the idea of talking in front of a class is nerve-wracking, but I am used to speaking in front of hundreds of people and having to worry about my stage presence and whether or not my diction is clear and loud. All of this has made me more confident when giving speeches and has earned me decent grades.

However, in this aspect, being a past theatre kid can get you in trouble in speech class. For example, if you are required to give feedback on your peers' speeches as a way to count attendance for speech days, you may learn that you are more critical than your professor and your peers may not like that.

You can't help it though. You're trained in trying to present yourself perfectly and accurately.

Theatre has definitely been a blessing in my life and has helped me in college in more ways than what is listed above. Just keep in mind as your theatre career comes to a close with graduation that you are learning valuable skills that will help you in the long run. You may not see it right away, but something will happen and you'll say, "I have theater to thank for that."