A Small Freshman in a Big New World

It is such a huge transition when coming to college and trying to figure out what to fit into one day. From classes to clubs to simply just eating food, there never seems to be enough time in the day to get everything done. For me, time management seems impossible as a freshman student athlete. I am privileged with being on the Acrobatics and Tumbling team at Gannon University doing what I love every day. Because the team is one of the best in the nation, the dedication required to be successful is immense. The commitment required to be on a collegiate athletics team is considered one of the top priorities besides school work meaning there is very little time for any other extracurricular commitments in college. I have miraculously found time in my hectic athletic life to enjoy being apart of WERG at Gannon University, and I couldn’t be happier.

Acrobatics and tumbling is a sport that is closely related to gymnastics. It is an all women's team that includes multiple events in one given competition. Different members of the team will compete in different events based off of their strength and consistency in each event. It is always a fight to earn a spot in each event meaning the pressure is always on to earn your place in a competition. Practices range from one-hour blocks where the team is split up into groups, to three hour practices as a team. With only a couple days off in the week, practice is a big time commitment. Although practices are extensive and are towards the top of my priority list, I love being a part of WERG and plan to continue my time with the organization throughout college.

I currently have a shift with WERG from 1pm to 2:30pm on Friday afternoons with my partner Eric Konwinski. This is one part of my week that I look forward to the most. Bantering with my partner and listening to great music is something I could only dream of being able to do! Growing up I had always listened to the morning radio on the way to school and I always loved the satisfaction of channel surfing until I found the best station to listen to. The amount of friends and great experiences I have made with the radio station in only my first semester at Gannon is more than I could ask for. I think it was a great transition for me to begin my involvement with WERG starting with one shift a week and I hope in the future, I am able to do more air shifts as my schedule thins out. The radio station at Gannon has encouraged me to follow my passions and to have fun while at college.

My advice for anyone who wants to get involved with any club or organization at Gannon University, but feels like they don’t have enough time, is to communicate. Gannon organizations are here to prepare us for the future and to ensure we are successful. If you want to involve yourself with something at Gannon, nobody is going to tell you that you can’t except yourself. It might seem a little daunting at first, I know it was for me when I first got here, but the way to overcome that nervousness is to ease yourself into the campus culture. I started at WERG with only one shift per week which allowed me to get used to my class schedule and practice schedule without the pressure of added commitments. I was extremely excited to be a part of the WERG family when coming to Gannon, but I also knew that making promises that I couldn’t keep would end up stressing out more people at the station and would stress myself out as well. It is so important to have a balance between school and fun when attending college and that source of fun is different for anyone. For me, I get my dose of fun from both my athletic team and the radio station which is something I will always be thankful for.

College really is a time where we make memories and relationships with people that we will carry with us for the rest of our lives. I want to make the most out of my college experience. I am here to get a degree, but I am also here to make memories that will prepare me for the future and that will make me happy. Time management is something that takes a lot of practice to really feel comfortable doing, and that is okay. We are all learning how to make it in this big world, but finding the time to do something you love is something that can’t be ignored.