So a few of the blogs I follow have started this “Blog Everyday In May” thing, and I decided it would be a good way to get me to write more. Since it is already May 2nd, I will use this post to make up for the past two days. I’m kind of super excited for this, cause once I get writing I’m good to go, but it’s coming up with things to write about that really gets me. So here goes nothing.
WARNING: I think a lot of these topics will make me reveal things I wouldn’t normally about myself, so I’m gonna be as honest as possible, even if it is too much info sometimes.
Day One: The Story of your life in 250 words or less:
My name is Kate Ward, I was born and raised in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I have 4 siblings, three of them are half, and one is real, but we all consider each other siblings anyways. My parents got divorced when I was in 3rd grade. I remember this specifically because my teacher, Mr. Zuppe, talked to me about it to ask if I was okay, and I remember it being one of the nicest things in the world. I started swimming competitively from a very young age (I was 5, and they didn’t usually let kids start until age 6) and did it all through high school. I had a full ride scholarship at a private school to swim, but decided to turn it down. I graduated in 2010 from Avonworth High School, in a class of 98 students, 20 of which I also went to preschool with. I was homecoming queen my senior year, which I have to say was probably a highlight of my time there. My senior year I decided to get out of that small town bubble and move to Blacksburg, Virginia, where I now attend Virginia Tech. I thought I wanted to be an athletic trainer, but after getting my ass handed to me after my first two years here, I have switched into Human Development, with a focus in guidance counseling. I am part of the most amazing sorority, Zeta Tau Alpha, and love my sisters with all my heart. (245, just made it!)
Day two, Thursday: Educate us on something you know a lot about or are good at. Take any approach you’d like (serious and education or funny and sarcastic)
I think something that I would consider myself good at or know a lot about would be swimming. Like I mentioned before, I started swimming at a local pool because my mom was the owner, and the rest is history. I joined the summer league when I was just 5 years old, and usually they don’t let kids join until they are 6. I was by far the smallest person on the team, but I loved it so much. It’s hard to believe that my first swim lesson I had when I was 3 or 4 I cried and begged to be taken out of the pool. I guess it’s kind of hard to show my expertise on something like a sport, but I swam competitively year round until 9th grade, then I decided to take a break. I then re-joined the league at my high school (it was actually a joint team with another nearby school because my school didn’t have a pool) and I fell in love with it all over again. Whenever I am in the water I feel free, and fast. I also ran cross-country for all for years of high school, and I was mediocre at best. Swimming was something that came natural to me and I was actually good at. My senior year when I was applying to colleges, it was a hard decision for me to make if I wanted to continue to swim in college or not. I had an offer from a private school called Duquesne, about 15 minutes from my house in Pittsburgh, for a full ride to swim. Tuition there is more expensive than most out of state schools, and it would be totally free for me. I decided to turn it down, to move on to a larger, farther away school. Sometimes I think about it and wonder what my life would be like if I had chosen to go there, but I don’t regret it for a second. I love my life here at Virginia Tech, and am confident this is where I was meant to be. Swimming was fun for the time I did it, and I’m sure it will always be something I find joy in.
All of the seniors on my swim team that year!
Relay team for WPIAL Championships
This is a super embarrassing photo, but who cares. I was stoked.
Also, I wish I was at home in Pittsburgh so I could dig up some awesome swim team pictures from circa 1998, but unfortunately I’m not. So for now, these ones from my senior year (and WPIAL Championship) will have to do!
Alright, so hopefully I will keep up this blog everyday thing going, now that I’m all caught up. Enjoy!
Little Kate big world! 