Throughout the year, each UK gymnast will share her thoughts about the 2015 season, what it’s like being a Division I student-athlete at Kentucky and what makes being a Wildcat so special. Please note that these posts are the student-athletes’ personal reactions and the views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the University of Kentucky or UK Athletics.
Next up is freshman Cori Rechenmacher, a native of Batavia, Ill. As the new year begins, Rechenmacher looks back at her first semester at the University of Kentucky. From classes to practice and increased independence, there are a lot of adjustments for a first-year college student. As Rechenmacher explains though, she’s had plenty of help along the way.
A full archive of all the gymnasts’ “In Their Own Words” entries can be found here.
This semester has really brought a new meaning to the phrase “time flies when you’re having fun” to me. These past few months, my first semester of college, have really flown by. I really enjoyed the fall semester, and I am so excited to see what the coming months have in store for me, as well as the team!
College life, in general, has been a pretty big adjustment. From living in a dorm with nearly 2,000 people and walking to classes all over campus to managing my time and many other responsibilities, these past few months have been full of changes. Once I started to meet other people in my dorm and my classes, to find people to walk to class with and to discover all the ins and outs of UK, I really began to like all of the independence. I can say, without a doubt, that I cannot picture myself going to school or doing gymnastics anywhere else.
The transition from club gymnastics to college gymnastics has been a change, as I expected, but my teammates and coaches have been very supportive, which has been extremely helpful. They all understand what it’s like to be a freshman, so they all have different little tips that have really helped with the transition. One of the main differences between college and club gymnastics is that the focus is on the team doing well rather than individuals succeeding. This makes practice much more enjoyable, and really brings the team together as a family, not just a group of girls working out together.
Coming from a college-prep private school, academics was not as big of an adjustment. However, having access to tutors at UK definitely helped for a really smooth transition. Also, our required study hall hours were very beneficial in that they helped me focus on my studying as well as ensuring that I had enough time to get all my homework done.
With these past couple months having flown by, I can’t wait to get back in the gym and start our competition season! I know this New Year will have great things in store for our team.
