Moving into college as a freshman can be a difficult time for anyone. You are worried about the start of classes, living somewhere new, making new connections, and a million other concerns that pile on top. For first-year athletes, however, you have to jump right in and learn to adjust as you go, transitioning into college as a part of a team and the St. Olaf athletic community.
Anna Hedrick ’29 always knew she wanted to play volleyball competitively in college after growing up surrounded by the sport. When she first came to campus, the team and athletic community were very welcoming, with upperclassmen warmly welcoming the four new freshmen on the team. Hedrick finds it hard coming into a bigger school: without a lot of overlap in people in her classes, it is harder to make connections outside of volleyball. But she finds that not just the volleyball team, but the athletic community less scary as they all have shared experiences.
On the Women’s Tennis team, Norah Brusco ’29 is having a similar experience being welcomed in by the St. Olaf athletic community. Since she started playing tennis in her sophomore year of high school, Brusco finds that it is easier to stay in touch with people who play tennis because they are always together, but she is trying her best to not be closed off and to make friends outside the athletic community.
“It can be hard to find time to do something outside the tennis schedule and balance the two worlds,” Brusco said in an interview with The Olaf Messenger. “At first it was hard to have an intense schedule, but now having practices and lifts makes me so much more productive.”
Goalkeeper on the Women’s Soccer team, Charlotte Percy ’29, immediately fell in love with the St. Olaf campus and team. Percy, who has been playing soccer for most of her life, found that the St. Olaf Soccer team’s culture was amazing, finding all her best friends right away in her teammates. With a busy schedule during soccer season, Percy finds that it is harder to find friends outside the athletic community, and most of her community is made up of the Women’s Soccer team.
“Being a part of the team helps, having upperclassmen who have been in my shoes and are very easy to talk to,” Percy said in an interview with The Olaf Messenger. “If something is going wrong, you can talk to them, and they know what’s going on, and the coaches genuinely care about you as a person, they want to be there to support you and are a built-in resource.”
