Year: First-Year
Age: 19
Hometown: Langley, Washington
Prospective Major/Minor: Anthropology with a maybe English minor
HCK: How have you liked settling in Kenyon so far?
Audrey: Yikes! Just kidding, it’s been surprisingly easy, and I just love everybody here. I feel like it’s the exact place for me.
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HCK: What have you gotten involved with on campus?
Audrey: I’ve gotten involved in Ultimate Frisbee, of course, and I’m on the Relay for Life Committee. I also dabbled in a few things, like ECO and Persimmons. I definitely want to get more involved next semester. I’ve focused a lot on the first semester learning to manage my time.
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HCK: What’s your favorite thing about Kenyon?
Audrey: That’s a really hard question actually. I’m not good at choosing favorites of things, so it’s definitely just the way I feel when I’m on the campus. And that feel good feeling leads to me finding other great things about Kenyon.
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HCK: And one of those things was Frisbee?
Audrey: Freshman year of high school I got pressured into trying out for Frisbee, and the coach offered me a spot on the team. It was definitely the worst year of sports, because I had no idea what was going on and my school took the sport really seriously. I felt a lot of pressure. But as I played more my sophomore and junior year, I definitely got better and got to play in games.
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HCK: Is Frisbee at Kenyon a lot different?
Audrey: Very different. It’s such a varsity sport in Seattle [her hometown]. Here it’s a club sport, which doesn’t mean it isn’t serious, but it’s more of a hobby. That’s definitely a big change.
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HCK: What’s the team dynamic like at Kenyon?Audrey: That’s the main difference from my experience at school. It’s just as intense as at home, but here we spend a lot of time laughing as we work hard. And we definitely don’t take ourselves as seriously. It’s a good break from a busy day.
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HCK: So word on the street is that you’re trying out for the Worlds Team?
Audrey: In January, I’m going to the tryout for the USA team that will travel to Poland. We’ll play other Frisbee U19 teams from all over the world. It happens every two years, and you have to apply to get a tryout, and a couple of weeks ago I found out that I was accepted for the tryout.
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HCK: Is it stressful?
Audrey: Yes. A lot of people who were trying out have been playing their entire lives. I didn’t even know Frisbee was a varsity sport until my freshman year in high school.
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HCK: Is Frisbee something that you want to continue post-Kenyon?
Audrey: Unfortunately, Frisbee isn’t a huge thing after college in a lot of places. In Seattle, yes I could continue playing there. but I just see it as a fun thing that I can always do, and play games, and that’s how I met a lot of my friends here. It’ll always be a connection for me, but it’s not something I’m looking to pursue. However, here’s a fun fact: It’s going to be an Olympic sport soon!
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HCK: Well good luck! What else are you looking forward to for your second semester of your freshman year—frisbee or otherwise?
Audrey: I’m looking forward to coming back and seeing what’s up. And I’ll miss everyone a lot, so it’ll be nice to see everyone. Frisbee-wise, I’m also excited to come back and have the season start. And to see my frisbaes.
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HCK: What is one thing on your Kenyon bucket list?
Audrey: Oh God, I need to think. Yikes! That’s a hard question. I definitely want to somehow breaking the lock to the roof of Mather and stargazing. That would be perfect.
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HCK: Thanks a bunch, Audrey! Good luck with your tryout!