On a more profound note, reflecting on who I have become and my time at the University of Southern California, my experience was not linear.
Some of the life altering moments that I thought were going to be the worst thing that could happen ended up being a blessing in disguise.
It was really hard for me to come to terms with not being a D1 athlete when my rowing career came to an end after injury.
The identity of being an athlete, especially at USC, is all encompassing. I remember stepping foot onto campus the first day without rowing, and I felt like I lost the biggest part of my life.
It was a hard pill to swallow, and it taught me that life is not always fair, however, that will not stop you. After a few months of “no’s” in the sports industry, I was able to land my internship at Fox Sports, later USC athletics, and now USC’s NIL collective House of Victory.
With these things, I jumpstarted my career that created a path for the rest of my life, and will continue to apply my focused work ethic to this industry.