lluvia arellano '22 Recruiting Profile

Being an only child seems cool, but it comes with many responsibilities. Since my mother has her own store, she spends most of her time there, and while I take time out of my day to help her out, this has shaped me to become independent. I am always keeping the house clean, making food, and self-disciplining myself when it comes to school. Becoming mature at a young age has put a great amount of pressure on me which I deal with by playing sports. To be specific I joined a Volleyball club team in Matamoros, Tamaulipas named “Hormigas” and my High school Volleyball team and since then have learned how to manage my time and emotions through.

  Volleyball has helped me destress when I become overwhelmed with all the school work I have. I have actually used volleyball as a safe space. In particular, a way of being responsible was by getting on time to every game and practice. In some cases, it was difficult to be there on time, but I knew that if I didn’t make some changes to my lifestyle I wouldn’t be able to continue my life with volleyball in it. Therefore I began to wake up at 5am on certain days and spend less time with friends.      It was hard to make these changes but I knew it was for my own good.

    Since I started playing the sport, my life has incremented positively. Joining volleyball has given me more confidence as a person and at school. Due to my commitment, I am now known as the best volleyball player at my school. I used to be a very shy person as I felt like no one understood me, but my team really helped me feel welcomed. I can say that playing Volleyball on a competitive level has been the best decision I have ever made. I don’t only compete with other teams but also with myself. Everyday I propose to be a better and stronger player and person. Although being an only child can be very lonely sometimes my mother never fails in being my number one support system as I happily live my life balancing obstacles and playing the sport I love most.