“College is a time to reinvent yourself.” If only I could count how many times I’ve heard that phrase. Honestly, I thought the idea of reinventing yourself just because you’re headed to a place where no one knows your name was silly
The more I think about this now, I realize that “reinventing myself” is exactly what I’ve done. Well, by “reinventing” I don’t mean in a way that I completely changed who I am because I didn’t like who I was in high school and I had this chance to switch it up completely. It was more like I started evolving into a more well rounded person when I started to settle in at Juniata. At the start of my freshman year, I told myself, as I’m sure many do, that I would try to push myself socially. My head was filled with key phrases like, “Get involved!” and “Make the most of it!” I was determined to do both of those things. In order to achieve this goal, I did a full personality 180 and went from being a proud marching band geek (my high school personality, much love to my fellow trombonists) to super involved in one Juniata’s two club rugby teams, the Hellbenders. I gravitated toward the Hellbenders after seeing a poster in the stairwell of Sherwood, my first-year residence hall. Practice times were outlined on the poster, and the next day I found myself walking to the field behind Ellis (aptly called “the swamp” by ruggers) at 5 pm. I’d NEVER put myself out there like this before so I was super nervous (as you could possibly imagine). I knew that my new teammates could see that I was apprehensive to jump into a club sport with no experience and without knowing anyone on the team, but they welcomed me in with open arms and made me feel comfortable and accepted. Within a month or so, I’d learned the basics of rugby, played in my first match, and even received a nickname (Bambi)—as is Hellbender tradition. This isn’t a promo for Hellbender Rugby, though. I want my blog post to be taken as words of encouragement not to reinvent yourself necessarily, but to push your own limits and go out of your comfort zone. If someone had told me during my senior year of high school that three short years later I would find myself a co-captain of a rugby team, my scrawny, marching band self would have laughed in their face. But that’s the beauty of this chance that is college. You have a unique opportunity to try new things without the baggage of already having an established personality. I’m still involved in instrumental music on campus and I’m so thankful for the chance to shape my identity even further as a student, a musician, an athlete, and a leader. You can seize all of these as a Juniata student, and I’ve found that at Juniata, success favors those who put themselves out there to grab these opportunities as they come. So, really, I think it’s less about reinventing and more about pushing yourself to find what you’re passionate about, even if it seems out of character. -Bambi
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9/3/2020 0 Comments "Finding my Place"I remember my freshman year, though I try to forget, like it was yesterday. I was 18 and all on my own in a state I had never been to before, while my family was at home 2,182 miles away. My freshman year was, by far, one of the worst experiences of my life. I jumped around from friend group to friend group, trying to find my place. Instead, I continuously found people who did not hold the same ideals as me, people who would lie to me, people who would talk about me behind my back, etc. etc. I nearly decided to transfer to another school closer to home in Arizona.
At the end of Spring 2018, over the course of weeks, I built up the courage to speak to a hellbender that was in a class with me. It genuinely took me so long to actually speak to this girl, it’s ridiculous. We were paired together in a group discussion during class and I seized the opportunity to ask her about rugby. Her face lit up immediately and she began to ramble about rugby so quickly that I could barely keep up. Some people might have been even more intimidated by her at this point, but I wasn’t. Katnip was one of the first genuine friends I made on my own at Juniata and she continues to be my friend to this day. Her crazy ramblings roped me in, and I couldn’t stop thinking about rugby. How fun it looked. How crazy it looked. How incredibly intimidated I was by the team. How incredibly excited I was to meet all the players. All these conflicting emotions built and built until I finally caved to my subconscious. I reached out to Rocky, another hellbender, and asked her how I join the team. She immediately added me to the Facebook group the team would use to communicate, and I was greeted by so many team members it was intoxicating. Everyone on the team was so welcoming and positive. I had never experienced such a warm, infectious environment. Shortly after joining the Facebook group, I was invited to a party with some rugby players. Nothing too big, just a small gathering for another player’s birthday. After that night, talking to hellbenders about topics ranging from rugby to politics, I knew I wanted to join rugby. The moment I walked through the door, people were smiling and asking me my name. I was meeting people left and right, but I was no longer intimidated by the strong, beautiful women who play rugby. I was one of them. I became a hellbender because this team was the first place where I felt that I belonged on Juniata campus. This team is not just about a sport, it's about a family. I finally found my place when I decided to try something new, be brave, and become a hellbender. All my love, Onyx |
Calling Current Hellbenders and Hellbender Alums!!We've created this space for us to share our thoughts with each other and with the world. We'd love for anyone willing to share their thoughts on the Hellbenders, Rugby, or anything else that's on your mind. If you'd like to contribute by writing a post, email Wing Captain Jules Slater at [email protected]. ArchivesCategories |