In January, I decided to audition for the student-directed musical of ‘Cinderella: Youth Addition.’ Before this, I had never been involved in musical theatre. While theatre has always interested me, I never had the chance to explore this possible hobby.

When I was cast as one of Cinderella’s evil stepsisters, I was ecstatic to do something new and step out of my comfort zone.

Over the course of three months, it is safe to say that I learned a lot—not only about myself—but about how I want to live my life in the future. I’ve learned three important life lessons that can be applied in whatever I do for my next journey.

When we are thrown into new situations, often times, we have no idea what we are doing. Strong leadership and trusting my leaders was key for me. When you believe in your leadership, it’s easy to trust their feedback and criticism.

My mindset going into this new experience was “I don’t know what I’m doing, but I want to do it well.” My directors’ experience helped shape my performance and perspective.  While I will probably never perform in a musical again, it was a positive experience because of the help I received and was comfortable seeking. When the right leadership is in place, doing something uncomfortable becomes increasingly more comfortable.

Another huge takeaway from this experience was the amount of practice that goes into putting on a quality program. I definitely have a new respect for the phrase “Tech Week.”  Rehearsals were a huge time commitment for my already overloaded schedule. I was forced to prioritize rehearsals, and I am glad I did.

I know going forward that I will prepare for presentations and projects differently because of this experience. I know what it takes to memorize lines, dances, and blocking after many rehearsals. Preparing for future situations where I will have to speak in front of an audience will be no different—practice, practice, and more practice will assist me in feeling confident.

Right before my first show, I was extremely nervous. I remember running through all my lines in my head, scared that I would forget what I was going to say when I went on stage. I decided that this was not very helpful and instead began to take deep breaths. I thought of my family and friends in the audience. Suddenly, my nerves turned to anticipation. I knew I was ready, and I was excited to have them see me on stage.

Nerves are inevitable before a performance. How you focus them for good is the challenge. As I embark on a new chapter after JC, I will remember that feeling anxious can easily be converted into positive feelings.