Growing up in Cardiff by the Sea, California, with its weather and proximity to the ocean, I was always pushed to be active and engaged in athletics. Like many of my peers, my sports preferences grew up with me. Some came and went while others stuck, but regardless, athletics became a large part of my identity.

One sport in particular taught me lifelong lessons, transforming my understanding of work ethic, community and perseverance. I started playing water polo in 7th grade, a point in my life when I had a typically rebellious and disaffected head on my shoulders. The reality is, I felt forced into the car to participate in my first practice. That night, in the cold and pouring rain, the last thing I wanted to do was put on a speedo as a self-conscious kid and swim all night. That first practice confirmed water polo would be the most difficult sport I would try. I came home convinced, and sure to convince my mother, that I would never get in that pool again, and yet there I was in the car the next night headed for practice. Little did I know that the experience would define my physical and mental trajectory over the next four years of my life and onward.

Here's the thing, hearing me talk about impact of playing water polo seems trivial. Many people play sports in their lives and move on to other endeavors eventually. And while I have moved on from the action of organized competition, I will never move on from what it gave me. Water polo taught me mental toughness in any situation, the existential fight to keep my head above water and air in my lungs. It also engrained the absolute importance of showing up for others, 100% committed every time, as you never know what your presence and contribution might mean for your team or any individual's life.

When moved to Georgia for school, I couldn’t fathom the impact of having athletics missing from my life. For four years I was always playing something, and I was at one practice or another for several hours each evening. I sacrificed to tailor my life around athletics, and I grew to love it. It gave me a sense of purpose, and I had a team that was there for me. Now, being in a new state and not immersed in that routine has been a challenge. Allocating time in new ways and outlets, and not devoting it to mastering a sport has left me in a bit of a limbo. And while I do miss athletics immensely, I have accepted that this is a new chapter of my life, and I must embrace it without regrets if I truly want to be happy.