Prompt 1: Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

 

 

In the last moments of my final volleyball season, I walk into the unlit sporting equipment room of our school gym, arms full of our team's folded uniforms. As I switch on the light, dozens of photos displayed on the walls spring into sight--pictures that tell of triumphs, defeats, and achievements of our school's teams over the years. I search the walls for the pictures that tell my own story. Three pictures catch my eye: one group shot from my first year on the team, one sophomore year photo during a game, and another team picture taken during my last season.

 

The thing that stands out to me as I look at the first picture is how isolated my fellow freshmen and I look from the others. We timidly stand off to the side, hesitant to join the rest of our teammates, who beam at the camera with their arms around each other. During games, when I would mishandle the ball, I felt the seniors' eyes boring through me. Instead of advice or support, I was met with glares. The lack of acceptance created a divided team, to which I would not have returned the following season had the majority of the older players not graduated.

 

During my second season, I came to realize just how much a team-oriented sport volleyball is. To my dismay, however, it was evident that we lacked in teamwork. This is where the second picture on the wall comes in. In it, my teammates and I stand rooted to our individual spots on the court, our expressions serious and tense. We never huddled after we made a miss or high-fived each other after a good play, which other teams always did. Wanting to unite the team, I began employing these gestures on a small scale, first with my close friends, then gradually with the whole team.

 

The third picture on the wall, another group shot, is my favorite. Our team is all smiles, jumping in the air, as we celebrate completing our end-of-season tournament. Huddling, high-fiving, and chanting were all parts of our routine by this time. There was not a single game that finished without words of motivation and encouragement. Neither did support end on the court. I realized this first-hand, when I was struggling with my suddenly-poor serves. Kind, encouraging words were directed my way, which would have been unimaginable three years ago.

 

That was when a realization about my struggle with service hit me hard; it was that one's mindset has a powerful influence on outcomes. When I would miss one serve, the whole game seemed like a failure, until I later watched it on video and finally noticed my good plays. Becoming aware of alternative perspectives is teaching me to focus on the better side of things, volleyball-related and otherwise. It also guided me to make peace with the older players' treatment of us, back in my freshman year. Without their actions, I would not have been as focused on improving my skills, nor on uniting the players to create better teamwork.

 

I look over these three photographs that serve to recount my experiences as a part of this volleyball team. In the last photo, the smiles on the younger players tell of their excitement to be part of such a great group. The smiles of the seniors, including mine, do so all the more. If you look closer, you can also see our smiles evincing a sense of accomplishment. I think we owe it to knowing just how much our team has gone through to become what it is now.