Chaos and Camaraderie: Life as a Student Athlete

We were supposed to leave the boathouse an hour ago, and the group of exhausted, hangry, sweaty girls standing around the trailer has lost its patience. Most shoulder the weight of a boat, steadying the white fiberglass shell with one hand and gesticulating wildly with the other. Shouts of half-articulated, conflicting instructions ring through the air.

Amidst the chaos, several of us coxswains, assuming our roles of authority, confer briefly, hoping to regain some semblance of order. We look for someone to solidify any directions we can relay, but the coach seems to have disappeared. I catch snippets of mutinous, muttering conversations as I wend my way between the irate, lanky rowers. A thin, annoyed-looking coxswain barks an order in my direction. Unimpressed with her tone and fed up with the general chaos and inefficient bossing, I snap something waspish in reply.

Being a student-athlete often means spending roughly half of each day in training, recovery, or travel. Our social and academic lives are closely intertwined with those of our teammates, and after a week of intense workouts, early morning bus rides, and coach-led meetings, this constant proximity can lead to hot tempers and hurt feelings. It’s difficult to hide your emotions from girls who come to know your every mood, both positive and negative. Relationships are tested as the strain of continual interaction unravels your carefully curated social front.

At the end of this particular Saturday morning practice, tensions are running high, and a simmering sense of frustration is palpable as we circle up to discuss the row, highlights from the week, and insights into the next. Once dismissed, we file onto the bus and settle in for the half-hour commute back to campus. I know I’m not the only one longing for solitude after the close of a hectic morning.

We exist in a high-stress, often overwhelming, performance-centric environment that will break the physical and emotional barriers of even the most stoic women. In the heat of the moment, I may glare at an offending rower talking in the boat, or seethe at the condescending conduct of a senior coxswain. This is the atmosphere around which my life revolves.

And I wouldn’t trade it for the world.

While these tensions can lead to clashes, they also reveal the deep bonds we create through shared challenges. There is a level of vulnerability unique to teammates, a relationship forged through the most challenging days and significant victories. Authenticity is not optional, as it underscores the importance of unity; when we race, we are not just individuals, but a cohesive unit driven by a common goal. When you are barreling down a race course, neck and neck with another team, it is this sense of togetherness and purpose that enables you to cross the line first. You are no longer pulling for yourself; you are pulling for the girl sitting in front of you, fighting to bring her across the line. As the individual fades, the team emerges.

This sport took a group of eclectic people from various backgrounds, ethnicities, countries, and upbringings and built relationships upheld by adversity and joy.

We share dinners at Chick-fil-A every Wednesday evening, gathered around the plastic tables, the metal chairs freezing against our bare legs, discussing our different classes, bemoaning upcoming tests, and reliving stories from past years. Long after practice ends, some of us gather in the locker room, where the international athletes from Serbia, Italy, Germany, and Slovenia belly-laugh at our American accents as they attempt to teach us how to curse in their native languages. Tears streaming down their faces, they demonstrate again and again, howling anew at our botched efforts.

We laugh, fight, and cry together. We don’t always see eye to eye, but I would go to the mat for every one of those girls, and I know they’d do the same for me.

Though I vent and rant about inconveniences, my petty grievances or misunderstandings, and the crack-of-dawn practice times, I know I’ll be on the bus when the wheels roll at 5 a.m. on Monday morning. Because these girls are my girls. And being a part of this team is one of the greatest blessings I have ever had. As I prepare for challenges ahead, I know that no matter where life takes me, the spirit of this team will always be a part of me. I am grateful for these girls and the unwavering support that defines our journey together.