Vanderbilt Club Rowing
If you’re an incoming first-year, someone in your life has probably given you the spiel about how “college is a time to try new things.” It sounds cheesy, but it’s also one of the most exciting things about beginning your first year of college.
When I was in your position just one year ago, I remember being completely overwhelmed by the wealth of clubs, organizations, and other extracurricular activities that were available to me at Vanderbilt. I’m willing to bet that I signed up to be on the email list for over 15 different organizations during the annual Org Fair, where all of the campus organizations set up booths and try to recruit members. In the 48 hours that followed, I found myself with an inbox full of information, and very little idea where to even begin.
If you’re thinking about getting joining a Vanderbilt organization, it’s never too early to start learning about your options! The following is a guest post by Katie Chrisman, a member of the Vanderbilt Women’s Club Rowing team. Read on to learn about one of the many ways you can get involved during your time at Vanderbilt.
When I decided to come to Vanderbilt, I knew that I’d be getting a world-class education and I hoped that I would have four of the best years of my life living in Music City, but I had no Idea that joining the Vanderbilt Rowing Team would be the best decision I made during my college career.
I can still remember the first day I went out to the lake with the team my freshman year after signing up at the org-fair. I was so nervous about the idea of getting in a van full of upperclassmen I didn’t know that my roommate, Noa, practically had to push me out of our room in Crawford and remind me how excited I was about joining a competitive sport in college. Fortunately, my anxiety was unwarranted and the people in the van that I was afraid to get into have become some of my best friends.
Sitting here now, getting ready to start my senior year, I can honestly say that joining the Vanderbilt Rowing Team was the best decision I’ve ever made. The sport has demanded, both mentally and physically, more than I thought I was capable of, but it has given me so much in return. Working to move in perfect synchrony with seven other women has taught me teamwork, and sitting on an erg with a coach looking my shoulder as I struggled to PR on a 2k has shown me the true meaning of mental toughness. But as invaluable as these lessons have been, the reason I love Vanderbilt Rowing is something harder to describe. It’s the feeling I get 20 strokes into a 2K when my legs are screaming, but I know there’s 8 other people giving everything they’ve got to get our bow across the line first; the feeling that I’m a part of something bigger than myself.
So if you’re thinking about joining Vanderbilt Rowing…do it. It will be one of the best decisions you will ever make.
If you have any questions or are interesting in joining the team, contact Katie at katherine.l.chrisman@vanderbilt.edu. Good luck!