A Perfectly Timed Plot Twist

Considering that the motivation behind creating this blog was to capture my growth through writing, I felt this would be the most fitting topic for my blog’s “maiden voyage”. What better way to celebrate the end of one life chapter than to give some insight into my future endeavors? More specifically, how I came to find myself in the midst of everything I have ever wanted.

The most fortuitous event which altered my life completely was the moment my dream college became a reality; not in the way I had originally thought it would, rather in the way I didn’t know that I needed. Having my heart set on a big university, throughout middle and high school I dreamed of attending either the University of Michigan or Michigan State University. My logic was simple and naive: Well-known, big-name school = success. This was the only recipe that I could think of which resulted in a good quality of life for me. As for swimming, I was prepared to leave my beloved sport back in high school, as I knew I would never be fast enough to swim for my (so I thought) “dream” schools.

This all came to a screeching halt on a random day in September. Fresh out of swim practice, I checked my phone to see that, to my surprise, I had a recruiting text from a swim coach. Kalamazoo College was never on my list of schools in which I was interested. In fact, I took every opportunity I had to try and convince my mother that I did not want to apply to any small schools, in fear of losing sight of my B1G dreams (I really hope someone got the Big 10 joke). Thankfully, God put my mother in that situation to force me to apply to some smaller schools, to keep my options open. “It’s one more application Ava, just throw your hat in the ring to say you did it”, she had said.

When Coach Brie from Kalamazoo texted me 2 days after I applied, I was flabbergasted, to say the least. My disciplined focus on swimming was something in which I took great pride, but I had never expected to pursue it at the collegiate level. Fast forward to my first phone call with Kzoo; I cannot put into words how impressed I was as information about this school was rattled off to me. Hanging on every word, I vividly remember the only thought in my mind during that call being “this is just too good to be true”.

A lot has changed in my life since that day. As I write this, I watch as my phone lights up like a Christmas tree with notifications from the group chat of all of my new friends from Kzoo. Here I am, not yet graduated from high school, with a whole group of 20 supportive, like-minded women from my college which awaits me as I move on to the next chapter in my life. I have no anxiety even as I am about to undergo this drastic change, as I now have them as my support system despite the unknowns of what lies ahead. At this moment, I am grateful; grateful that I am fortunate enough to have parents that can send me to a college that is the absolute perfect fit for me, grateful for these women with whom I will grow over the next four years of my life, and grateful that God redirected me when my tunnel-vision was aimed in the wrong direction.

The moral of this story, at least how I interpreted it, is that you should never overlook any random or unexpected opportunities that life casts your way; it could be God’s way of telling you that you are destined to pursue a different road to your final destination, which will always work out in your best interest:)

This one is for my Kzoo Girls. Thank you for everything thus far and for everything that is yet to come. I am beyond ready to start my life alongside you incredible ladies :)

-Ava Jean :)