The further I get into improv, the more lessons I find that apply to life at large. Here are some of them.

  1. As Mick Napier explains, the rules of improv aren’t actually rules that you follow to create a good improv scene. They’re a list of pieces of “advice” that people who have been in and seen bad scenes collect as “not-to-do’s”. It doesn’t mean that doing those things will lead to a good scene. The only way to really be in a good scene, among many things, is being in the scene, in the present, listening well, building up the energy, and yes-anding. In life more broadly, I’ve found myself giving advice to underclassmen on things to do, things not to do, etc. I’ve heard similar tidbits of advice from people older than me. As you would with the rules of improve, take the advice with grains of salt. Know that they are less guiderails to living a good life and more reflections on experiences other people have scene.

  2. Overthinking about the scene will pull you out of the scene and make you unfunny. Thinking about how a scene is becoming a talking heads scene will pull you out of a scene and make it worse. Focus on being in the present, listening well, and building onto the scene. Stay consistent with your character. Make unexpected decisions. The funny will come. It feels like life is probably similar in a lot of ways here.

  3. Put in the work upfront to make a show good for the audience and fun for your troupe members. If you have your troupe members worrying about the state of the show or moments between scenes, the audience will feel it to. That means preparing lighting, calls, warm ups for the audience. The details matter. Lay the groundwork of a show well so that your troupe members can focus on playing and your audience on watching (not thinking about the state of the show).

  4. It is and isn’t that deep. I and the people around me do improv because it’s fun. It adds to our lives outside of classes. It’s a fun chill lit time. The moment it becomes a chore, it loses its spark. That’s not to say it’ll feel fun all the time, or that I won’t experience lows, but maintain the balance of learning more and getting better with not taking ourselves too seriously.

  5. Have faith in people. They will also experience ups and downs. Believe in them, help them the best you can, and be patient.