A Reflection on the First-Year Student Athlete Experience

We often feel like we have no control over our futures. Life happens, and we react day by day. But every so often, we hold a decision in our hands that determines our future, a single decision that has the power to change the years to come.

This is the kind of decision that all high school athletes have to consider — do I commit to a college early on for athletics, without ever knowing where the traditional college process might take me? Do I love my sport enough to dedicate myself to it for the next four years? 

These are the questions that all Swarthmore Varsity athletes, 26% of the student population at Swarthmore, answered yes to. For me, I was in my sophomore year of high school when I was confronted with such a decision. I had been weighing the pros and cons between committing to a school to play volleyball early on or applying everywhere to see where I would get in. The idea of making this crucial decision at such a young age was terrifying. Even so, I made the choice to commit to Swarthmore.

I realized that playing volleyball brings me joy that is truly invaluable. I fell in love with the sequence of “pass, set, hit” years ago, and since then, I have never been able to go back. So I started the recruiting process, sending emails and film to coaches, and Swarthmore stood out early on. I quickly fell in love with Swarthmore’s campus, volleyball team, food, and school values, and I honestly just felt like I belonged since my very first visit. 

I was ecstatic when I received an offer, but I was still scared to commit because I knew that accepting it meant saying no to other opportunities that may have arisen. Nevertheless, I knew I loved Swarthmore and that I loved volleyball, so I decided to take this opportunity because it felt so right.

Now, after a month, I know I made the right decisions: the first, to play volleyball in college, and the second, to do that here at Swarthmore.

I love being dedicated to something greater than myself each and every day. I love the thrill volleyball adds to my life. I love how I am constantly learning new lessons on the court that carry over to my life. These are the dimensions I believe playing a sport in college adds to my experience.

What I love about playing a sport specifically at Swarthmore is how the athletic community is so strong. Each team comes together to support each other and to become each other’s best friends. I love that I’m able to surround myself with people who are so similar to me and that these are the people who will become my lifelong friends. 

More than anything, I love the immediate family that Swarthmore volleyball has given me. Since the day I walked on campus — nervous and unknowing of what was to come — my teammates and coaches took me under their wing. They helped answer all my questions, show me around campus, create my class schedule, and most of all, they served as the best mentors I could have asked for. With the kindest and most authentic people beside me each and every day, I feel wildly at home.

I love being able to work towards a common goal with my team, to be able to surround myself with amazing humans and to be able to attend and learn at Swarthmore. It’s an opportunity that few people can say they have had, so I am truly so grateful for each and every day to be a student-athlete at Swarthmore College.