College is a tightrope that students pirouette across to reach that final degree. It is a whirlwind of finding yourself, throwing yourself into academics, completing assignments upon assignments, and laughing with your new favorite people.
Juggling it all can feel daunting. However, all of this is intensified for those who also play a college sport, especially at the Division I level. In my opinion, student-athletes are some of the most motivated people I know. They dedicate endless hours to honing their craft while balancing demanding academics and all the other calendar-fillers that come with college. They are truly remarkable.
Recently, I had the pleasure of having a conversation with Sarah Dwyer, a student-athlete on Boston University’s Dance Team.
Sarah began dancing at the age of three at her local dance studio, immediately immersed in a hyper-competitive environment. The artistry of dance allowed for a creative outlet while building sisterly bonds with her teammates. She fell in love with the contemporary style of dance, which is her favorite to perform to this day.
When talking to Sarah about her dance career, she smiles and reflects fondly on her memories with her dance team during her senior year of high school. Performing alongside the girls she had danced with since they were toddlers was the ultimate full-circle moment. Her competitive spirit is still filled with pride over their undefeated season.
Sarah’s dance journey was not always linear.
She started her freshman year with a thirst for knowledge and an open mind at the University of Connecticut as a political science major, leaving her jazz shoes and dancing career in the past. Following a tumultuous freshman year, she was eager to start fresh in the bustle of city life as a transfer at BU. Even though dance did not impact her decision to transfer—as she was a part of BU’s guaranteed transfer program—she knew deep down that her heart was aching for a chunk of her identity that was missing.
Sarah spent the spring in her home studio trying to shake off the rust, leap back into her dance career, and submit self-tapes to audition for the BU Dance Team. When I asked her what guided her to this decision, she grinned as she reminisced, saying,
“My year off made me realize just how big of an impact dance had on my life and it only heightened my drive to perform.”
Hard work, sweat, and grit landed her a spot on the dance team here at BU.
Now a human physiology major in Sargent College of Health and Rehabilitation Sciences, Sarah is in motion around the clock between her studies and sports. Despite this, her transition to BU has been smooth, which she attributes to her lovely suitemates and the support of the dance team. She reflects on the camaraderie of the team, saying,Â
“All of the girls have really embraced us rookies with open arms and it was nice to have a community of girls to be able to go to right from the beginning of the year.”
Though being a student-athlete has its tribulations, Sarah is firm that there is nothing more rewarding than being able to continue to do what she loves most.
see Sarah and all of the talented dancers on BU’s Dance Team at Case Gym (“the Roof”) on Nov. 4 at 7:30 p.m. against Northeastern.
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