Picking up a jump rope for the first time turned out to be the biggest butterfly effect of my life. Little did I know that a jump rope performance team at my elementary school would eventually impact where I went to college, what major I chose, and how I would spend upwards of 10 years of my life.

In the 4th grade I joined the Salem Skip-Its and found my first passion in jump rope. I would later go on to join the Super Skippers and compete nationally against athletes from around the world, making some of the best friends and memories through the sport I fell in love with. The biggest thing I was worried about missing when I went to college was jump rope, so knowing that UNC-Chapel Hill had a club team that I could join played a big role in determining where I went to college. Carolina Jump Rope was my first home at Chapel Hill, and I have made some of my best college memories because of this team.

Ironically, jump rope was also setting me up to choose my major. In high school, I was asked to create and run social media accounts for the Super Skippers, and my excitement for content creation, curation, and digital storytelling took-off. Ultimately, I managed the social media accounts for Carolina Jump Rope here at UNC, and I’m thankful that jump rope set me on the path to be in the Hussman School of Journalism. I have found some of my biggest supporters through Hussman, from professors to my peers, and being part of such a positive community has played a big role in setting me up for success down the road. 

A jump rope inadvertently helped me not only find my passion but will ultimately help me find my profession, too. Thus, competing in jump rope reminds me every day to follow my passions, mindfully. After all, if the simple act of picking up a jump rope can lead to all of this, who knows what else is in store for me?