Growing up there's always one hobby that really interested you; whether it be a sport like baseball or soccer, joining the scouts, or in my case, picking up batons.
From first grade until fourth grade, I was a majorette at Wellington Elementary in Florida. It was the thing I was most passionate about and what I looked forward to every Tuesday and Thursday after school. I was even more ecstatic when I was chosen to be on the competition team which meant not only did I get another day of practice in on Wednesdays, but I also got to compete at the Wide World of Sports Complex at Walt Disney World and be ranked nationally (if you've seen my other articles, you're really noticing a trend in how my interest came to be in Disney...ahem). It was one of the best parts of my childhood, and my parents and grandparents were the reason why. They always supported me in everything I did and were willing to travel to see me, no matter how far away.
But then the year I was to begin fourth grade, we moved to Pennsylvania, and the school I was attending did not have baton twirling, and there were no places to go to let me continue the hobby I loved most. I took up other hobbies then, such as basketball, soccer (for a very short period of time) softball, and a few other things.
But then I got to college and I somehow got talked into becoming a majorette once again, even after my millions of warnings telling them that I hadn't twirled since elementary school.
I wasn't too sure about how it would go at first, but now that it's my senior year of college, I can happily say that I am so glad that I was given the opportunity to baton twirl once again. Even though they gave me one baton instead of two, I had amazing majorettes who were willing to be patient with me and teach me what they could (even if it meant me being sour until I got it right or we just gave up and came back to it later).
Most importantly, it was an outlet for me. I don't do sports in high school anymore, and I never have time to really work out (nor would I really because I'm lazy) but baton twirling makes me go outside and let some steam off and do what I enjoyed doing and loved so much when I was younger. I will never regret my decision to be a part of the Thiel Tomcat Marching Pride.