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I grew up the daughter of a professional artist. I enjoyed doing art projects with my mom but by the time i was in middle school I became serious about swimming as my main thing. "Green Hair Don't Care", 6 days a week, twice a day, 3:30 am wake up calls. There wasn't time for much else and that was fine. I was a swimmer.
The work paid off, I became a D1 college swimmer at William and Mary and had a rewarding experience as part of a team that was like family. But as senior year crept up, panic swooped in- whats next? Who am I without swimming? A hard worker. So I worked fast to secure a job in Government Consulting with one semester till graduation. Mission accomplished.
Instead of finishing my business minor - my mom suggested I take a ceramics class. I took the class and quickly fell in love with wheel throwing. With aspects of technique, muscle memory, and flow it felt much like swimming. Before graduation my ceramics teacher asked what everyone's plans were. With pride I told him about my job offer. To my surprise his response was something to the effect of "I think you'll find the working world is pretty monotonous" I thought to my self as my cheeks burned bright red - what a weird thing to say!!
Graduation came and went and I quickly found... he was not wrong. Cubicles and spreadsheets, bureaucracy, and the realization that all of that knowledge from school did not equal the real world experience needed to be on the more exciting strategic projects.
Once again mom to the rescue (after putting up with some tear filled existential rants) suggested i find somewhere to do pottery - after all , I had loved it so much in school. It would be a good outlet. I joined the local community pottery studio. And ever since it has been my creative, physical and mental health outlet. A place to make tangible things - in contrast to the conceptual and technology projects at work. A place to make connections with people outside my bubble. A place to loose track of time and enter a flow state. A place to work through emotions.
My early 20s have come and gone but with each stage of life since , pottery has been there to help me through. It's safe to say nearly 10 years since my retirement from swimming, Pottery is my favorite sport.
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