Almost 17-years of my life have been spent in a pool, dedicated to countless hours of training and competing. Naturally, swimming competitively has become an integral part of my identity, and I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to go through athletic recruitment and commit to Saint Louis University to continue my swimming career. When I started college, I was so excited to see where swimming would take me next.
However, college swimming turned out to be one of the hardest transitions in my life. Picture this: 5 a.m. alarms every morning, two swim practices a day, travel and competition on the weekends and a constant strive towards success in the pool.
I had a misconception in my head that my life had to be about my sport 24/7, and I was supposed to always be mentally preparing for practice and meets, never taking my concentration from training.
As much as I loved my sport, I found myself drowning in my toxic habits. The constant strive for perfection in swimming left me drained and anxious to the point where I would self-isolate myself from other opportunities. It began to feel like I was wasting my college years and not living to the fullest.
Fortunately, one day, something clicked. After watching my non-athlete friends have the time of their lives, I experienced a self-induced wake-up call. I realized I cannot confine myself to just one thing. I don’t want to be known for only swimming, yet I was keeping myself from branching out. But life is too short to swim in a straight line, right?
Last spring, I took a cold plunge and participated in informal sorority recruitment. I went on one coffee date with Kappa Alpha Theta, and I instantly connected and knew this was the right path for me. It felt scary stepping out of the comfort zone, where I previously only had swimming, but it was so worth it.
I was initiated into the Eta Omega chapter of Kappa Alpha Theta, and found myself instantly surrounded by amazing people who celebrated me for more than just my swimming abilities.
One of the best things I have received since joining a group of uplifting women is the constant support. Due to my crazy practice and meet schedule keep me from attending as many events or sisterhoods as I would like, so I worried I wouldn’t be able to connect with the girls in my sorority. But I was soon proven wrong–my sisters became the ones cheering in the stands for every at-home meet and sending me messages of support whenever I left for the weekend. They understood my commitments and still welcomed me with open arms.
Breaking my tunnel vision wasn’t easy. It took time and self-reflection to figure out what I needed. Stepping away from my preconceived notions regarding my identity as an “athlete” was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Swimming will always be a huge part of my life, because it turned me into the person I am today, but now I’m diving headfirst into a new part of myself. Through my sorority, I have learned how to explore new interests and expand a new side of myself, and I finally am living a life that doesn’t rely on swimming.