Ball State University Athletics
A Letter to My Freshman Self
May 03, 2019 | General
With the 2018-19 academic and athletic calendar coming to a close and graduation just a day away, Ball State Sports asked a handful of its seniors to partake in a project of self-reflection. That made way for what you're about to see and/or read: A Letter to My Freshman Self.
Four years is a long time. But as a collegiate athlete it's also not. It's one of the great paradoxes. In that comes a lot of learning, growing, ups, downs, heartache and joy. What if you, as a senior, could travel back in time and tell your freshman self about all the things that were about to happen? What would you say? How would your prepare yourself? Would you keep those secrets and let life inevitably play out in front of yourself, and tell your younger body nothing at all?
Olivia Huffman (softball), Trey Moses (men's basketball), Lauren Roll (soccer), Timothy Wiseman (men's golf), Parker Swartz (men's volleyball) and Kaitlyn Menzione (gymnastics) undertook that task. They wrote out all their thoughts and feelings in preparing their freshman selves for the four years that are about to come. This video brings the messages from all six student-athletes into one, but attached to this article are also the letters of each individual in their entirety.
Spring Commencement is scheduled for Saturday on the Arts Terrace with the processional beginning at 9:30 a.m. Sixty-three current student-athletes representing 16 varsity sports are expected to receive their bachelor's degrees this weekend or later this summer. Men's basketball guard Austin Nehls and football offensive lineman Grant Williamson are on track to earn their MBA this summer. Â
Â
Four years is a long time. But as a collegiate athlete it's also not. It's one of the great paradoxes. In that comes a lot of learning, growing, ups, downs, heartache and joy. What if you, as a senior, could travel back in time and tell your freshman self about all the things that were about to happen? What would you say? How would your prepare yourself? Would you keep those secrets and let life inevitably play out in front of yourself, and tell your younger body nothing at all?
Olivia Huffman (softball), Trey Moses (men's basketball), Lauren Roll (soccer), Timothy Wiseman (men's golf), Parker Swartz (men's volleyball) and Kaitlyn Menzione (gymnastics) undertook that task. They wrote out all their thoughts and feelings in preparing their freshman selves for the four years that are about to come. This video brings the messages from all six student-athletes into one, but attached to this article are also the letters of each individual in their entirety.
Spring Commencement is scheduled for Saturday on the Arts Terrace with the processional beginning at 9:30 a.m. Sixty-three current student-athletes representing 16 varsity sports are expected to receive their bachelor's degrees this weekend or later this summer. Men's basketball guard Austin Nehls and football offensive lineman Grant Williamson are on track to earn their MBA this summer. Â
Â
Players Mentioned
G
/ Men's Basketball
OL
/ FootballTrack and Field // MAC Championship Promo: President Mearns and Alana Springer
Tuesday, May 12
This Week in Ball State Sports // Mick Tidrow and Jeff Mitchell wrap up the academic year
Thursday, May 07
Sports Link: Senior Salute
Monday, May 04
Men's Volleyball // NCAA Regional Final Press Conference
Sunday, May 03