Juggling!
When life gives you lemons, juggle them? Well, I currently don’t have sourness in my life right now, but I have felt empty this summer. I enjoy going to work and shadowing (not really studying for the MCAT), but following this routine has made the summer a little monotonous. So I decided I wanted to pick up a new hobby, or at least learn a new skill this summer. My project, ladies and gentlemen: learning how to juggle.
Kinda random, eh? Well, not exactly. One of my friends from high school, Justin (clicking on this link will lead you to an all exclusive interview I had with him), is here at Vanderbilt for the summer as well. He just completed his first-year at Vandy, go him! Anyway, he was involved in the Vanderbilt Juggling and Physical Arts Club (JPAC) this past school year. To keep his juggling skills in tip-top shape, he goes to community juggling every Tuesday and Sunday at Centennial Park and Fannie Mae Park, respectively. After asking about what they do (and making fun of him, just a little bit!), I decided to try my hand at it. And it’s hard! However, after about of hour with Justin giving me some helpful advice, I am able to throw three balls in the air… and catch them. I haven’t gotten to the point where I can continuously juggle yet, but I’m hoping with a little more practice (and consistent throwing) I should be able to juggle soon.
Justin invited me to come to community juggling with him, so I went with him this past Sunday. Everyone was really helpful and took time to teach me. Also, the meetings are really informal and come-and-go. Everyone is welcome no matter the experience level. I’m improving, but I still have some work to do.
If successful, juggling will probably just be a secret talent that I will amaze my friends and family with. However, there are plenty of opportunities for jugglers at Vanderbilt! As aforementioned, JPAC is a student organization that meets every Sunday for juggling sessions. In addition, every year they host Juggleville, a themed showcase that exhibits all their talent. So if you’re looking to defy gravity (and average human hand-eye coordination) or are just looking for something new to do, juggling could be for you! I’ll let y’all know how successful my juggling endeavors become.