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Every incoming college student faces the question of what they want to do during their college experience, both to enjoy it in the moment and reap the fruits for years to come. Varsity athletics aren’t necessarily the obvious choice to Hillsdale intellectuals, but my involvement on the track and field team has heightened my college experience like nothing else could.
Being a collegiate student-athlete is a special opportunity, especially as a walk-on. When I started my freshman year at Hillsdale, I had no intention of being on the track team; frankly, the thought was terrifying. I competed in cross country all four years of high school and track for my final two years. I didn’t think I could compete at a collegiate level, nor did I have the desire to find time for a sport in the busy life my admissions counselor informed me I would lead.
But when I arrived on campus, I found myself missing the team atmosphere, consistent practices, and competitions. After reaching out to coaches, a two-week tryout period, lots of paperwork, and a few doctors’ appointments, I was finally a part of the Hillsdale women’s track and field team as a high jumper in October of my freshman year.
Most students at Hillsdale are involved in more than just their studies, whether they choose music, theatre, clubs, or intramurals. All add time constraints to studying. But just like other commitments, varsity athletics elevates my Hillsdale experience by introducing me to different people and fostering relationships that I otherwise would not enjoy.
Don’t get me wrong — it’s not easy making time every day for classes and homework, track practices and meets, working a job, editing The Collegian, and socializing with friends. But the strain on my schedule is more than made up for by the collective fruits of these different pursuits.
My commitment to athletics pushes me to manage my time well, since my homework and social events all depend on my track schedule. I might miss a late-night movie or Dutch Uncle’s run because I have practice that evening or a meet the next morning, but this forces me to spend my time with friends intentionally.
I am pushed daily to run harder, lift heavier, and jump higher. The physical challenges I face in practice translate to my studies, allowing me to adapt the determination I learn from athletics to the classroom.
The relationships I have developed with my teammates are also a beautiful product of being on a team. We see each other’s highlights and hard days, suffer together through brutal lifts and workouts, and bond outside of practices and meets, too. My track teammates inspire me to be a better person and athlete, in addition to becoming some of my closest friends and mentors.
Outside of the team, my Hillsdale experience is not incomplete or lacking: I have friends involved in many aspects of campus life, and their passions show me more of what Hillsdale has to offer. Though I often spend a couple of hours a day in practice, I can still grab coffee with friends I don’t see often, go to (almost) every SAB event, or explore the farmers market on Saturday mornings.
As cross country coach R.P. White always says, being grateful for our opportunities and the people we get to share these things with is the way we should approach everything we do. I try to extend this mindset to every part of my Hillsdale experience.
Stepping out of the monotonous daily routine of classes and homework to practice and challenge myself physically changes how I view the time I get to spend in the classroom. Finding a passion that presents challenges outside academia will only add to the already fulfilling experience that Hillsdale provides.
Elaine Kutas is a junior studying English.
