Thursday Thoughts: The Power of Numbers

 Do you ever have a time where you run into a rough day, week or even a month and start questioning yourself, every decision you have ever made and why you do what you do?  It's definitely something that happens to me and more than I imagined in college (which for the record, I thought as a senior that college was this magical place that nothing bad ever happened and life was rainbows- though it does have its golden moments high school guidance counselors need to have that drilled out of them). Going into spring break practices and coming out of midterms, all I had on my mind was going home. It's bad, especially because I try to be optimistic about things, but seeing all the other Bucknellians pack up their bags and drive off, I wanted desperately to go with them.

We got down to Virginia, and during practice (I wasn't spacing on the water, I promise!) the first day  a crazy thing happened. I realized I wasn't this whole thing alone.

Sometimes we get so caught up in our own lives, and it makes sense, because we are trained to think this way. In the end, the choices we make and the things we do are up to us. The thing is though, we are not alone, for every situation (and it's easy to forget) there is someone nearby going through the same thing, and there's so much power in that. One of the most unique things about rowing is there is no superstar to carry the team. Yes, some people may move the boat faster than others, but in the end the whole boat finishes together. This week, I was reminded of something that I forgot a little bit of when I first got to school. That though it may take some time (especially when you are a freshman) when you put in the hours that you do, your teammates become your family (and upperclassmen become less scary). I actually had the opportunity to go home during the week to Arlington for a few precious hours, and though it was great to see my family (and get a massage!) by the end of the day, I was ready to get back to my friends. Maybe questioning ourself is ok, that means we are pushing ourselves to the brink of insanity for something we love, and that's fine, because the key is to find something that you are really passionate about and the right people to go on the ride with you. They can sometimes be the in the most unlikely people that you meet in the most unlikely of places. :)

P.S. Happy Birthday to the fourth sibling in my fam, Nora! Hope you have a wonderful 19th!
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