Lehigh University Athletics
From the Future: Dear First-Year Morgan...
2/16/2016 8:28:00 PM | Student Athlete
Dear First-Year Morgan,
Welcome to Lehigh, a place that truly will become a second home to you in the next four years. Here, you will meet people who help you become the person you are supposed to be. There will be hardships, and there will be triumphs, and through it all you will form amazing relationships and grow immensely as a person. Here are a few words of wisdom to help you get the most out of this incredible journey.
First, enjoy softball while you can, because eventually you'll realize you only have a little time left to play the game that is so much a part of who you are. Through the next four years, you will feel exhausted, you will feel sore, and you will feel worn out. College athletics takes a lot out of you and challenges your mind, body and spirit, but every day and every struggle is worth it because the sense of accomplishment you get is unlike anything else. This accomplishment cannot be achieved on your own, and luckily the Lehigh softball family is a special and unique group of people who will be there for you forever. Each of the girls you will play with, and their parents and siblings, will have your back every step of the way. They will support you in ways you didn't know you needed to be supported. Lean on them when you need to because everyone needs a little help sometimes; for this same reason, let them lean on you. Find comfort in this new family you have found.
My next piece of advice is to look beyond softball and take full advantage of all of the things this school has to offer. The Leadership Development programs here at Lehigh will be such a key piece of your personal development. Embrace these programs and don't just go through the motions of participation, because the things these programs will teach you about yourself and how to lead others are truly invaluable. These programs will also allow you to meet so many different people from different teams, and these people will have so much that you can learn from them.
Most importantly, in order to get anything out of the many programs you'll get involved in and the people you meet, you have to be open to new experiences and new people. Be confident in yourself and get involved every step of the way, or else the people and experiences will pass you by. Make sure you take time early on to develop great friendships, both within your team and outside of them. If you are too self-conscious and too afraid of embarrassment or failure to branch out, you'll miss out on everything that can make your college experience great. Waiting too long to branch out leaves you with one semester left to enjoy the company of people and benefits of programs you discovered too late.
During this journey of self-discovery and self-growth, remember to have as much fun as possible. Life will never be like this again, where your only focus is getting good grades and performing well in softball. Eventually you'll have to start thinking of graduate school and job opportunities, and the adult world isn't as fun as it seems. Even though it will all get a little overwhelming, this is one of the greatest times in your life: enjoy it and don't be in a rush to grow up. Learn everything you can, embrace your mistakes and learn from them, and be unapologetically who you are, and everything will work out.
Good Luck and see you sooner than you think,
Senior Morgan
