William Karimatsenga, a track athlete from Zimbabwe, shares his thoughts on Hillsdale, home, and the important things in life.
What sports do you play at Hillsdale?
I’m a short distance sprinter for the track team. My main events are 100 and 200. Hopefully, I’ll be going to 400, but at the moment, I’m going to try to stick to the 200 and 100.
What’s your biggest accomplishment on campus so far?
So far? I think to be safe was going through my first semester ‘cause it was quite a huge change – time difference and all. But I think at the moment, it’s just going through first semester. And I’m trying to get into more things and get more involved in the campus.
Are you in any clubs on campus yet?
At the moment, not really. With the whole track thing, it’s been pretty hard to get into much, but I might try to be an RA and hopefully maybe get a place in the team’s Bible study.
Are you having a hard time balancing track and academics?
I think it was kind of tricky at the beginning, but I think I’m starting to kind of get the hang of it.
How did you end up at Hillsdale?
We had an academy back in Zimbabwe – this was after high school – and this is a track academy that also helped with college. So we did our training there and we also got counseling for careers or colleges after high school. It just helped Zimbabwean students at least get placement in American colleges.
Can you tell me about your home?
What would you like to know exactly? Anything? Well, Zimbabwe is in Southern Africa. It’s pretty much landlocked. It’s been a tricky 10 years because we had an economical situation that really rocked us hard. Especially 2008. But growing up in that time, you learn a lot. I’m pretty grateful to be from Zimbabwe, at least, and it’s warm weather. It’s different from here! But it’s warm weather, nice people, and it’s a very peaceful country. Not much violence at all actually. [Contrary] to popular belief, it’s actually a really nice place. But yeah, it’s a good experience, a good shift coming here. But home is always home.
What would you say was your biggest culture shock coming to America?
I think….I want to say food. It’s kind of different, you know, adjusting to the style. You don’t get as much variety in normal homes. Also, people are pretty laid back. Even with how you refer to older people sometimes with first names, like, that never happens in Zimbabwe. It’s just like “sir” or “ma’am.”
What’s your major, if you know at this point?
I’m in pre-engineering. I’m hopefully going to be majoring in physics. I’m trying to get into civil engineering at some point in time.
Do you know what you want to do with that?
Yeah. Hopefully, when I finish at Hillsdale, find a good graduate school so I can continue with civil engineering and hopefully get a civil engineering degree at the end. Then probably work here for a while. Then hopefully go home and try to sort things out there.
Do you still have family back home?
Yeah, I do. I’ve got two sisters. One’s a medical doctor and one’s a financial analyst. But they’re both pretty young still. My parents passed away – my dad earlier this year and my mom in 2011.
Is hard being so far away from your sisters?
It is pretty hard, but home is now wherever they are. It gets tricky with the communication, but I guess that comes with the territory.
You were in choir, orchestra, wind band, and jazz band in high school. Do you still play any instruments or sing?
I still do my jam sessions, you know – sing sometimes. Try to keep up with the singing. I did a lot in high school. I was culturally, sports wise, academically involved, and I guess it took quite a toll when I was back at school, and I hoped to get here and continue with most of it, but it seems time hasn’t been permitting. So I’m going to try. I played the flute and I’m trying to learn how to play the piano.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
Well, friends and family are the most important thing you’ll ever have in your life. I mean, everything else can come and go, but the relationships you do have at the end of the day are the most important thing you’ll ever have in your life.
-Compiled by Kelsey Drapkin
