Grappling With Nerves, Glitter Earrings, and Hard Scenes
It’s the weirdest thing. I’m not nervous about improv all day, until about an hour before class. Then it hits me like a ton of bricks. My heart races (145 on my Fitbit, if you’re curious), my hands get clammy, and I start wondering if this is what excitement feels like for real or if it really just is nerves. I have no idea.
Luckily, I’ve learned to redirect that energy. Part of my “pre-class ritual” is putting together a look that feels like me: a graphic tee and some bold, playful earrings. Last week, it was a Cat Mom shirt with Rainbow Fish earrings. This week, a vintage Precious Moments tee that said “Friendship is a Sweet Journey” and neon Encanto earrings from Claire’s. It’s my way of walking in with a little sparkle, even if my insides feel like mush and my brain is living off of one brain cell and adrenaline.
By the time I got to Hashtag Comedy, my nerves had dialed down to a more manageable 125 bpm—basically a brisk walk’s worth of anxiety. And when I walked into the classroom, the nerves dropped further. Fewer people showed up this week, and I could actually remember everyone’s names: Kenyetta, Sam, Caitlin, Crystal, Lauren, Malerie, Joy, Steve, Aaron, Tyson, and our instructor, Josh. That small victory felt like a good start.
The real highlight of the night came early: Kenyetta turned to me and Lauren (who, like me, had studied under Jeff Gage) and said she didn’t realize she’d be working with “professionals.” It was such a kind, unexpected compliment, and it reminded me why I love this art form. Improv isn’t just about laughs; it’s about people seeing each other and lifting each other up.
We started with warm-ups: a name game (tricky when you’ve got a Kristy, a Crystal, and a Caitlin in the same circle), and then “Mind Meld,” where you try to land on the same word as your partner after combining two other words. Silly, simple, and a great way to start listening to each other.
Then came the scenes, and they were hard. Our suggestions were weak, the prompts thin, and my first partner had a habit of saying “no” in scenes (which is basically like throwing a wrench into improv). We had to act out a frenemy story without words, and my brain just went blank. We salvaged it with some funny beats, a back tattoo named after “Jolene” made everyone laugh, but it left me realizing something important: sometimes you won’t get the partner, or the suggestion, or the inspiration you want. And that’s okay. The job is to make the best of what you’ve got and keep making your partner look good.
My second round was with Aaron, and I was excited. The suggestion was “Circus,” and we had to tell a story about getting fired. At one point, I fake-climbed a 150-foot ladder, slow-motioned a somersault through the air, and had him catch me. It was silly and fun, but I completely forgot the objective… We were supposed to show why we got fired. The scene didn’t quite land, but it was another reminder: improv is messy, and sometimes you only realize what you “missed” afterward.
We concluded with a game that utilized a rug as either a stage boundary or an obstacle. Paired with Lauren, I found myself in a Medieval Times-inspired apple-picking booth. She dropped a dark line about being beaten at home, and I shot back with, “He only beats YOU.” It got a big laugh and wrapped the night on a strong note.
Walking out, I felt proud and drained in the best way. These classes are teaching me that nerves are natural, mistakes are inevitable, and the only thing you can control is showing up, doing your best in the moment, and trusting that’s enough. No regrets—just lessons and laughs.
