My heart raced with anticipation as I saw the skyline in the distance. My show choir, “Titanium” had made it to the windy city! As we approached the pier, I took in the sights. The tall buildings loomed over our heads, reaching as high as the clouds. Though it was a gloomy evening, the streets were still bustling with people on that chilly spring night. The bus stopped just one hundred feet short of the water. The lake was vast and abundant. The water lunged at the concrete base of the pier. The wind powerfully shook the boats docked there. As darkness approached, the city glowed. The cars, buildings, and nightlife lit the sky brilliantly. When we arrived back at the hotel, I tossed and turned in my sleep. Tomorrow was the big day: competition day.

The morning sunlight cracked through the thick curtains. My roommates and I began our routine. The sizzle of curling irons and sticky clouds of hairspray quickly woke me up.

When we entered the complex, I was eager to see the performance stage. As my group filed into the theater, its size overwhelmed me. The ceiling seemed as tall as a skyscraper. The announcer’s voice echoed throughout the auditorium. Even though we seemed miles away, the stage was huge. Much bigger than any stage we had performed on.

The first group performed and their costumes glittered and reflected off the bright stage lights. I sat in the balcony; the people on stage were as tiny as ants! I felt as if I could hold up my hand and squish them! Although they looked small, their bodies were graceful as they pranced around on stage. The melodic sound of singing filled the room. The sound bounced off the walls and shook the room. As they finished their last song I looked down and saw my hands balled into fists. That’s when I knew we had our work cut out for us.

Later that day, my teammates and I eagerly waited to walk to the warm-up room. My nerves had gotten the best of me. I nervously tugged at my costume as we entered the warm-up room. I was immediately filled with emotions. Not only was I anxious and excited, but sad because I knew this would be one of the last times I would perform with this group. I couldn’t believe how far we’d come. Forty six people who had a passion for singing, most of whom I never would have connected with if it had not been for “Titanium”. My eyes filled with tears as I looked around the room at my teammates. I was so proud of us. I thought about where we began and where we were now, we’d made it to nationals! Our “Faith, Hope, and Love” brought us here. Finally, they told us we had five minutes. We silently took our places on the risers and mentally prepared ourselves. Thoughts raced through my mind, “What if I mess up?” “What if I fall?” but I let all of that go. I stood poised and confident on the stage. I was in “performance mode”. I could hear hushed voices on the other side of the curtain and the announcer’s booming voice. My heart jumped and I took a deep breath. Soon, I heard the roaring of applause and the curtain opened. The bright lights blinded me as I grinned in satisfaction. My hands were clammy at my sides and my stomach fluttered anxiously, but my face hid it all. I wanted to scream, but I held it in as the piano started to play. I opened my mouth to sing and my nerves quickly washed away. Once I heard the harmonic voices of my teammates surrounding me, I thought, “This is it, I’m home.”