Thursday, February 28, 2008

Freshmen Exile.

Many years ago, I was a freshman. I was a pledge. I was a freshman baseball player (in my day it was another pledgeship). It was second semester, and the two other baseball players in the house were either kicked out of the college or quit at this point. I was the only baseball player left. I was the only one getting up @ 4 AM for practice after being kept up until 3 AM every night doing "extracurriculars." I was all alone. It was easily the most difficult time in my life, mentally and physically. I questioned my stay in my fraternity, the baseball program, and the school. This was truly a time of exile from a community I wanted to be a part of so badly. I made it though. I stuck it out. Now I am here...a senior, baseball coach, and leader in my fraternity. The exile I experienced, I believe, made me stronger. I think everybody at some point needs to feel alone and broken down so that they can appreciate where they are now. If you have not felt exiled at Wabash, you haven't tried hard enough.

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