Reunited!

After a winter spent all over the globe (literally), our volleyball team is finally reunited again in Hanover, New Hampshire. Even the rain that hasn’t stopped pouring down since the minute I arrived on campus can’t dampen my spirits.

I spent this past term in hustling, bustling New York City. I interned at a small public relations firm called Nike Communications, where I worked on the “travel team,” making clips, keeping books, and pitching stories for the Rosewood Hotels & Resorts, a luxury hotel line with 22 properties all over the world. One of my favorite parts of the internship was being able to help out at events for various clients. I worked at Vino 2010, the largest Italian Wine Conference ever held outside of Italy, and also a couple parties for fun companies like Betsey Johnson and Esquire Magazine. It was my first exposure to PR, and I loved learning more about the field. I have grown to appreciate any experience that helps me understand just what I might want to do with my life, seeing as I am asked that question more and more often as I get older. Every day I feel blessed for the amazing opportunities I’ve been given, but with that realization comes the desire to do something that will fully take advantage of those opportunities – I guess figuring that out is really what college is all about.

Practices start up again this week, and I think everyone on the team is excited to be back on the court together, doing what we love. Our team has gone through a lot of changes over the last year and it has been so great to see everything clicking into place. It is always a bit uncomfortable getting back into the swing of volleyball, and I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel like a fish on dry land for a large part of practice. But we have all spent so many hours of our lives playing this game that it really doesn’t take much to get back on track. Especially when you’re out there with your best friends.

Our team is in a great place right now, emotionally, mentally, and physically. In our team meeting to kick off this spring season, we all felt like we were on the same page, and the energy in the room was extremely positive, enthusiastic, and open. I know I’m not just speaking for myself when I say that I am so happy to be back, and so proud to call every one of these girls my teammate. Can’t wait for spring season!

-Jessie Hartman '11