You might be of the mind that there are no valuable life lessons to gain from a show that centers around happy dancers and tearful video montages. And to that I'd say: you're probably right. But if you're still reading this then maybe you're the kind of person who can find the value in anything. Good for you. I dedicate this post to you and all the other life lesson-seekers who enjoy kittens, rainbows, assisting the elderly, and Kent Boyd's boyish smile.

Season 7 of So You Think You Can Dance has been a rollercoaster ride, and through all of the ups and downs, I have taken away a few key points that I'd like to share with you all. Behold: the five things I've learned from SYTYCD:

Take care of yourself.
While the entire point of a competition is to show your best self, it's a little hard to be your best self when your tendons, knees, and other body parts stop functioning properly. Three back-to-back injuries (Alex Wong, Ashley Galvan, and Billy Bell) proves that nothing is more important than your health.

Stand up for the underdog.
Sometimes it's good to keep your mouth shut, and other times it pays to speak up. When the judges praised Jose Ruiz for adding his own unique interpretation to a routine and then criticized Adechike Torbert for doing the same thing, Cat Deeley called them out on it (forever sealing her status as a host with heart).

Step outside your comfort zone.
For me, the highlight of this season came when Alex Wong (a former principal soloist from the Miami City Ballet), stepped on stage with all-star Stephen "Twitch" Boss and schooled us all in hip-hop 101. I watched his routine five times. And then harbored unrealistic fantasies of becoming a ballet-turned-hip-hop aficionado. It's good to try new things.

A smile will take you far.
Despite his weaknesses as a dancer, Jose Ruiz stuck around this competition long after I predicted he'd get the boot. Do I think this luck rested entirely on his facial expressions? No. But it certainly didn't hurt. The judges seemed more smitten with his smile and personality than his actual routines.
 
Expand your vocabulary.
Cat Deeley has shown us all that we're never too grown up to learn new words and phrases. I don't know about you, but I will personally strive to incorporate phrases like "sex bum" and "kooky bonkers" into my everyday lexicon.
 
What lessons have you learned from SYTYCD Season 7? Sound off in the comments below!

(Image courtesy of FOX)