Photo Courtesy of Freddy Stokes.
When I think back on my 3.75 years at Conn, the first phrase that comes to mind is ‘buy-in’. In high school, I never quite felt like I belonged, or that I wanted to. As a relatively ambitious kid from a liberal household, I felt at odds with the culture of my small town school. To make matters worse, I committed the cardinal sin of choosing not to play high school soccer in favor of joining the New England Revolution’s youth team. The combination of a culture clash, the Revolution’s demanding travel schedule, and the future-focused nature of college soccer recruiting made me feel like a bit of a tourist in my own hometown. When I committed to Conn in October of my senior year, I told myself things were going to be different. Finally, I was going to live in the present and make an effort to be a part of the school I spent so much time at. I was going to ‘buy-in’ to the culture of Connecticut College.
As a fall-sport athlete, I was fortunate to enjoy an extensive support system from the moment we all arrived on campus. Seniors like Pat Devlin ‘17, along with Assistant Coach Michael Kovach, helped me stay out of trouble and avoid some of the mistakes so many first-years make. As an immature, slightly cocky, 18-year old, I was far from the perfect teammate. I may not have always enjoyed it, but older team members and coaches held me accountable and taught me the value of hard work and selflessness during the 2016-17 school year.
Outside of soccer, I was determined to make the most of my first year at Conn. A life long hater of math and cleaning, I took entirely government and history courses, lived in a disgusting room in Smith, and took full advantage of my newfound independence. I left school at the end of the year excited to return in the fall, and hoping for an experience much like the 9 months of my first year.
As a recruit, I remember being advised to pursue schools that would still interest me if I faced a career-ending injury. Unfortunately, that nearly became my reality. Within a week of being home after my first year, I tore several major ligaments in my right knee and found myself facing a year on the sidelines. As difficult as the rehab and time away from soccer was, it also presented an opportunity. For the first time in a decade, I had free time. I made lots of new friends, took challenging classes, and grew up quite a bit. I certainly didn’t realize it at the time, but getting injured was a blessing in disguise. It forced me to step out of my comfort zone and become a more well-rounded person without the sport that I felt defined me.
That being said, returning to play was a huge personal victory. The next two years brought team and personal success on and off the field, culminating in an Elite Eight appearance this fall. Captaining my teammates this past season and passing on the lessons I learned during my time at Conn was without a doubt the most rewarding experience of my athletic career. If you couldn’t tell, I am incredibly grateful for and proud of the time I spent as a member of the men’s soccer team.
Soccer may have been a huge part of my first three and a half years here, but the past semester brought a new project into my life: The Voice. Not joining The Voice sooner is one of the few regrets that I have about my time at Conn. The professionalism, open-mindedness, and talent of the staff and my fellow editors have made me a better writer and thinker. I would highly recommend joining the paper to any first-years looking to maximize their Conn experience, regardless of your interest in journalism as a career. Effective student journalism helps to hold our school’s leaders accountable, and it has certainly made me a more engaged member of the Conn community.
If I could impart just one piece of wisdom onto incoming Camels, it would be this: dive in. It may be a cliché, but you will get out of Conn what you put into it. You do not need to participate in every activity under the sun, despite the pressure you may feel to do so. Whether it’s your major, clubs, or a varsity sports team, find something that you’re passionate about and commit to it fully. If you do, you will find that the rewards are well worth the effort. In the words of Ron Swanson, “Never half-ass two things. Whole-ass one thing.”
