My pre-purple path
My university experience didn’t start off at Bishop’s. I originally went to a university about three hours away from my home in Cochrane, Alberta. I signed with the university women’s soccer team and was impatiently waiting for my next chapter to begin.
In my first year of university, classes were online, and we did not have a soccer season due to COVID. The coaches who originally recruited me moved on, and a year later, a new coach stepped in. That fall, I got the opportunity to play as a starter in my first season. Then, in April my coach cut me along with many of my teammates. Up until that point, I had devoted my life to achieving my goal of playing soccer at the USPORT level, and just like that, it vanished.
Meanwhile, classes had just begun to return to normal following COVID. When the university’s faculty went on strike during the winter semester, putting my education on hold for a second time. It felt as if my entire identity, as both a student and an athlete, had been ripped from me in a matter of months. I felt helpless and terrified.
A new beginning
I started reaching out to coaches at universities across Canada, but since most recruiting happens the year before the season, my chances of success were slim. At last, I got an email back from the head coach of the women’s soccer team for Bishop’s University.
I didn’t know anything about this school, but it turned out that I had family and friends who attended Bishop’s and had nothing but good things to say. One got engaged to a guy she met during her undergrad at Bishop’s. Another completed his Master’s there and said he loved it so much he wished he had done his undergrad there too.
The transition
I was invited to join the team for preseason to try out for a position on the roster. I had no guarantee of a position on the team, but I thought if there was ever a time to bet on myself this was it.
Out of the seven coaches I spoke to, only one was willing to give me a chance to continue playing the sport I loved. So, I took it.
I applied to Bishop’s in May, but by this time the residence was completely full. By a stroke of luck, one of the girls on the team was looking for a third roommate and messaged me asking if I still needed a place to live. I eagerly agreed and flew out to my new home. I spent my preseason sleeping on couch cushions on the floor with a blanket I had packed and a borrowed pillow.
From strangers to sisters
When I signed with the team, I was still chasing my soccer dream, but in the process, I gained a second family who have been my source of unconditional love and support that I didn’t know I was missing.
The teammate who had invited me to live with her was the first person I’d ever met at Bishop’s, and she has since become one of my closest friends.
The third roommate and I met the day I moved in and have lived together ever since. She has grown closer to me than anyone ever has, and I can confidently say she will be a lifelong friend.
Guidance from a gaiter
The biggest takeaway I have from my journey is not to be afraid to take a leap of faith and say yes to opportunities that come your way. I usually don’t make impulsive, last-minute decisions, but this was one of the best choices I’ve ever made. Attending university in a different province has broadened my world and given me a unique experience that I wouldn’t have had if I hadn’t ventured away from home.
Bishop’s is a university that combines the spirit of larger schools with the comfort and intimacy of a close-knit community. I came to Bishop’s without having ever visited, without a place to live, and without a single acquaintance. Since the day I arrived, I have never felt alone.
