College is the time to try something new. That “something” could be joining a new club, playing an intramural sport, or for Biolans, participating in the annual lip-sync battle, Mock Rock. All students go into college expecting to experience something they never have before.
For sophomore nursing major Sarah Squyres, trying something new in college looked different from what some might expect.
“The opportunity kind of made itself available,” Squyres said. “So I was like, ‘Why not take it?’ I’m only going to be this young once, so might as well just do it, and if it doesn’t work out, there’s always an option [to not] do it again.”
At the end of last school year, Squyres had a friend who was on the swim team and she told Squyres that they needed more divers for next season. The majority of the previous divers had graduated, and there were plenty of open spots on the team. What started as a joke of Squyres joining the dive team soon turned into reality.
“So it was kind of like a joke at first, like, ‘Imagine me on the dive team.’” And then I was kind of just sitting in my room, and I was like, let me just email the coach and we’ll see what happens, and if it’s meant to be, it’s meant to be,” Squyres said. “So I did, and he got back to me, and he [said] ‘You’re on the team.’ And that was just it.”
In high school, Squyres had played softball and run cross country, but before this season, she had no experience in dive, much less competitive dive. Practicing and competing against divers who have been doing this sport for years can be very intimidating. Squyres noted how there were both pros and cons to this.
“These people have been doing it for so long that it’s just so normal [for them]. Then, when I came in, it was just really cool to see them uplift me, as if they were coaching,” Squyres said. “This is kind of intimidating, but also it’s really cool because I’m able to learn from them.”
Squyres has learned far more than just how to dive in her team with the team, and it has had a real impact on many aspects of her life. And because of that, she recommends others to try things you would never expect yourself to try.
“Even in my own faith, my journey with God, it has really helped me. I tell people this all the time. I’ve never prayed more than I have when I’m on the dive team, because it’s caused so much anxiety and nerves of having to compete. Having to go up and do flips nine feet in the air, like it’s scary. But I think it definitely helped to become comfortable in the uncomfortability in life,” Squyres said. “I think that would be good for other people to just be uncomfortable. And I think it would be very beneficial for people to just do something new, like anything.”
As of now, Squyres plans to continue dive throughout college and is excited to see what is to come.
“I am wanting to, and I don’t really see that changing. Unless something happens, like my school gets too much, but as of right now, yeah I do,” Squyres said.
When trying something new, Squyres recommends doing something that seems near impossible because you’ll never know if it’ll work out. When reflecting back on her experience it felt impossible at first, but was made possible by God.
“Do it with God and do something that genuinely seems impossible,” Squyres said. “ I think that’s when God can really work through you.”
