Unfamiliarity by Aidan

Unfamiliarity by Aidan - July 2025 Scholarship Essay

To travel this far from home was a little daunting. I was off to a big school where I would be unknown. All I could be sure of was that I was to join the rowing club. I remember questioning whether I would be accepted, whether I was good enough, or if I'd miss the familiar too much. What I couldn't see then was that the uncertainty that paralyzed me would be the foundation of my growth. Not making the rowing team did not just give me a home, it gave me direction. The dawn temperatures, the cold water, the shared exhaustion from my teammates. It all instilled discipline, resilience, and a feeling of belonging to something bigger than myself. High school rowing was the only activity I enjoyed, and having to leave it all behind was a terrifying thought. What I couldn't understand then was that the uncertainty that frightened me would form the foundation of my development. Having been part of the rowing team, I had discipline and friendship. The early mornings, the ice baths, and the shared exhaustion with my teammates instilled in me discipline, toughness, and how to be part of something bigger than me. In high school, rowing was the only thing that kept me grounded. To leave that behind—or to at least leave behind the team I knew as a kid felt like being forced to begin again. But amidst it all, I learned something far more valuable: how to survive and thrive in a foreign environment.

Rowing at LSU was no longer a sport—it was an identity. On days class was too much, and I was homesick, practice gave me something consistent to hold on to. Ending up at the rec center following my classes and going in for some long meters on the erg (rowing machine) was something that always took my mind off harried classes. Along the way, I took on more responsibility within the team, helping to organize practice and advising junior rowers. That, in turn, allowed me to find my voice and realize that I could lead by example and be a quiet leader, even if I was not always the loudest person in the room. Along the way, working on the team introduced me to my girlfriend, who was impressed with my knowledge of the sport, someone I would have never met had I kept quiet and to myself while I was a member of the team. I was voted men's captain by my team at the end of the year because of my leadership abilities, which I never imagined I would be able to accomplish, much less after freshman year. College life beyond rowing also challenged me in ways I had not expected. The classes were bigger, the homework more intense, and I had to learn how to juggle my own schedule. Socially, I have never been easy, but I understood that college was a place where I could push myself. I attended study groups, volunteered to speak up in class, and made friends with students of all backgrounds. Slowly but surely, I felt like I belonged not only on the team but on campus as well.

If I could go back in time, I would tell myself that college is not somewhere where you know everything starting from day one. It's where you are ready to be receptive to people, to experiences, to failure, and to learning. I would tell myself that uneasiness is not a reason for withdrawal, but it signifies something new is beginning. The scared version of me that arrived at LSU would never have imagined how strong, connected, and capable I’d feel now. And that’s exactly why I’d offer this advice because trusting myself enough to take the leap changed everything.