Being the emcee for the Academy Awards last week was one of, if not the best, experience I have ever had as a Notre Dame Academy student. 

When I signed up to audition for the show, I was not entirely sure what I was getting myself into, but looking back on it I can definitely say that I do not regret the decision to join the show. 

Being in the show was a very fun experience and the behind-the-scenes experiences were almost as fun as the show itself. 

Seeing all of the technology and the effort that the tech team and the teacher advisers put into the show was inspiring and made me want to put forth my best effort. 

Emceeing the show definitely did not come without anxiety, however. About ten minutes after the show started is when it hit me that I was actually doing this and that I was going to be out on stage speaking to a large crowd of students, teachers and guests, which was something I was not very used to. 

What helped me the mos, though, was my fellow emcee Lauren Witczak, who was such a help behind the scenes, and the other contestants. They helped me keep my cool and allowed me to give the best effort that I knew I was capable of. 

For those of you who are interested in getting involved in Academy Awards please do so. It was an amazing and fun experience that I will never forget, and I am so glad that I had the opportunity to be a part of such an amazing show. 

Do not be afraid to put yourself out there. I was for the longest time, and that has probably been my biggest regret in my high school career. Do the things that make you happy and the things that you have always wanted to do. In the end they can be very rewarding.