The one thing that I miss most about high school is cheerleading. I could have tried out for cheerleading here at Wesleyan, but I decided to focus on academics my first year which was probably a good idea. I didn’t think that I would miss it very much because of the distractions that college would bring. With new friends, new environment, and loads of homework I thought that the last thing that would be on my mind would be cheerleading. Every time we watch football on TV or I go to a football game I pay some attention to the players and most of my attention to the cheerleaders and dance teams. I didn’t realize how important cheerleading was in my life during my high school career.
When I was a freshman I tried out for cheerleading, and I knew I was terrible but I guess it was wishful thinking that kept me going. Of course because of my lack of ability I didn’t make the squad. I was very sad about it and in my angst I joined a competitive cheerleading team. I went to practice every day in the summer for two hours, with the exception of Saturday and Sunday. It was a very hard core conditioning and cheerleading squad, so hard core that we had to get a new coach because she gave someone a hernia. The next year I didn’t want to try out because I was afraid of not making the squad again, but I tried out anyway. I made the squad! I made it my junior and senior year too, each time it was equally as exciting. I loved the feeling of the football team rushing past you when you were yelling with flashy poms poms. I loved it when the fans actually yelled a chant with you. I especially loved basketball season when the players came running past you and the excitement from the crowd and our squad when they made a basket.
Now these times seem uneventful. The football team at Wesleyan is good, but the spirit at the game isn’t the same. Most of the fans are parents, who are not as involved in school spirit with the cheerleaders and the students. The changes from high school to college aren’t always what I was expecting. The things I thought I would miss like my casual friends from high school and my house aren’t always the things you think you would miss.
When I was a freshman I tried out for cheerleading, and I knew I was terrible but I guess it was wishful thinking that kept me going. Of course because of my lack of ability I didn’t make the squad. I was very sad about it and in my angst I joined a competitive cheerleading team. I went to practice every day in the summer for two hours, with the exception of Saturday and Sunday. It was a very hard core conditioning and cheerleading squad, so hard core that we had to get a new coach because she gave someone a hernia. The next year I didn’t want to try out because I was afraid of not making the squad again, but I tried out anyway. I made the squad! I made it my junior and senior year too, each time it was equally as exciting. I loved the feeling of the football team rushing past you when you were yelling with flashy poms poms. I loved it when the fans actually yelled a chant with you. I especially loved basketball season when the players came running past you and the excitement from the crowd and our squad when they made a basket.
Now these times seem uneventful. The football team at Wesleyan is good, but the spirit at the game isn’t the same. Most of the fans are parents, who are not as involved in school spirit with the cheerleaders and the students. The changes from high school to college aren’t always what I was expecting. The things I thought I would miss like my casual friends from high school and my house aren’t always the things you think you would miss.
