To my first year self,

I know it may be hard to believe, but you made it man. You weathered the storm and accomplished a lot of the things you aspired to do. First and foremost, you survived Calc 1. Secondly, you walked onto the track team. I don’t know what possessed you to do this, but you did it and it worked out for us in the long run. And most importantly, you graduated from The University of Virginia. While none of these milestones were easy to come by, you stayed the course. You overcame some obstacles that I didn’t think you could. Those nights up to 3 am doing work when you had weights at 7:30 am tried to take you out, but you found a way. Your hamstrings were your worst enemies and your tight hips were a close second. You experienced several phases of self-doubt, but you had that dawg in you and didn’t let it hold you back. You exemplified perseverance and no amount of words can describe how resilient you were in the face of adversity.

You will quickly realize that Division 1 athletics are not for the weak. Track and field at the collegiate level will be, by far, one of the most humbling experiences of your life. But you will forever be grateful for the mental toughness and discipline it allowed you to develop. Over the last couple of years, you developed a love-hate relationship with the sport. There were several incidents where the track tore you down and had you questioning your ability, and other instances where you felt like nothing could stop you. Through it all though you remained determined.

On this journey, you made lifelong friends and memories that will last a lifetime. Whether it was rushing to the airport to catch a flight with your coach and 4x4 team after setting a UVA record, or running one of the top times in the 100 meter dash in school history, your track career will remain ingrained in your memories. Also, don’t be surprised when some of your coaches and teammates start to call you “Prime Time” instead of your real name. Sunglasses will be a permanent part of your practice and competition fit and remember that you aren’t “Prime” without them. The list could go on and on, but Precious is probably rushing you to do something, so we’re going to cut it short.