As teenagers, we feel like we have to do everything, or at least something. Our parents, teachers, and maybe even our friends are telling us to get involved, but at what cost?

You could probably go up to most people who do some kind of activity or sport through the school and they will tell you at least one complaint they have about it. Whether it be that they don’t like the coaching or the way their sport is run through the school or that their sport puts a lot of pressure on them to succeed or that they have simply outgrown it but haven’t quit yet, there is almost always something.

For me, it was everything. I started doing cheer when I was in elementary school going to camps and doing Junior Jags and eventually dipping my toe into the pool of competitive cheer. When high school rolled around, even though I knew I had outgrown the sport, I felt I needed to be a high school cheerleader.

I had grown up idolizing Mill Valley cheerleaders. I attended their camps and went to football games just to watch them. Then I made the team and realized it wasn’t what I had thought it was going to be and frankly, my dreams were crushed. I had all of these ideas about what it was going to be and when it didn’t live up to my expectations I hated it. I felt lost and like I was nothing without this sport I had done for so many years. 

After one year of high school cheer I realized I didn’t like the way the team was run and I had simply outgrown a sport I used to love, so I moved on. I started playing golf, a ton of golf. I practiced everyday, played in tournaments and faced plenty of challenges, but I grew to love it. 

So now, in my sophomore year, I am no longer a cheerleader and am now a varsity golfer. It was hard to get out of my comfort zone and do something completely different, but I stayed true to myself and remembered what it felt like to fall in love with a sport again. 

Trying something different and accepting change is hard but sometimes moving on is the healthiest and most productive thing to do because it’s not worth your mental or physical health to suffer over something that doesn’t bring you happiness.