My parents always encouraged me to play a sport throughout my childhood. My mom loves to boast about how she was a track star, and my dad loves to reminisce about his days on the baseball field.
Unfortunately, as the designated “knee-brace girl” (and walking-boot girl and ankle-brace girl), sports weren’t written in the stars for me.
It wasn’t until high school that I finally experienced what it was like to be on a team, in my theater program. That was the first time in my entire life that I had ever experienced camaraderie. I found every opportunity to compare my real-life experience as a theater kid to "Glee," the television series surrounding a group of students in their high school show choir.
Rachel Berry, the main character in the show, says to her teacher in the pilot episode, “I know I’m just a sophomore, but I can feel the clock ticking away and I don’t want to leave high school with nothing to show for it.”
I’ve watched the series nine times, and every time I hear that quote, I reflect on where I am in life and ask myself if I have anything to show for that period.
During my sophomore year of college, that quote rang truer than ever before. I decided to join the Photo desk. By the end of that year, I had gained the confidence (and encouragement from then-photo editor and my freshman-year roommate, Caroline Bittenbender) to apply to become photo editor.
I didn’t get the job.
I applied for assistant photo editor instead, but in a wild turn of events, I eventually landed a co-photo editor position alongside Samantha Lewis. Overnight, I had become a part of a team that would ultimately change my life.
In my time as a photo editor, I’ve covered a 32-hour sit-in, two Duke games, multiple Franklin Street rushes, two Jubilees, two Jumpman Classics, the Mayo Classic, the Mayo Bowl, a rare Kenan Stadium field rush, the N.C. State Fair, campus concerts and numerous other exciting events.
