We all know that feeling of depression you get when you’re in college and you just want to be a high school athlete again. The feeling of being part of a group of people that have love for the same thing as you is incredible. The desire we all get to do what we love most is such a hard thing to cope with when going off to college. Being a washed up junior at the University of New Hampshire there is nothing I would want more than to be a North Andover Varsity cheerleader again. Many high school athletes deal with this whether it’s to get back in the pool, on the turf or on the mat. So, here is 30 reasons why I am now considered an ex-cheerleader.
1. Every time you see a cheerleading vine you just have to retweet it.
2. When you’re old cheerleading Pandora station comes on and you start working out to the beat of…and 5,6,7,8.
3. When you go through your old cheerleading albums and tears actually start forming.
4. When you still have your high school pom poms and you refuse to return them… 3 years later.
5. When you wake up in the morning, everything cracks and you always say in your head, "it’s because of cheerleading."
6. When you’re old cheerleading routine music comes on and you still remember every move to your freshman year routine. “N-A-H-S!”
7. When you still wear your high school cheerleading sweat suit and walk around as if you are still on the team.
8. When you lay in bed at night and watch your old cheering videos.
9. When you have a specific drawer filled to the brim with all of your old bows.
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10. When your team song comes on and it still takes your breath away.
11. When you still have your coach’s number and text them here and there just to say hi.
12. Is it still acceptable to wear soffee shorts? You ask yourself this on a weekly basis and the answer is always no.
13. When you think of your future, you already know your daughter is going to be a cheerleader.
14. The desire you have to tumble is through the roof, but you know you’re too far retired to do it.
15. The constant struggle of wanting to have the body back that you had when you were a cheerleader.
16. When someone says cheerleading isn’t a sport and you still argue with them until you are blue in the face.
17. My old coaches conditioning is something I would actually love to do right now.
18. Every time there is a Bring It On marathon, you know you HAVE to watch it and relive your glory days.
19. Every Friday night in the fall you wish you were cheering on the football team under the lights with your amazing team.
20. Now when you watch football you find yourself remixing your high school cheer into new ones (G-O Lets go PATS G-O Let’s go!).
21. Every time you see a trampoline you see the potential of nailing a killer back tuck just one more time.
22. Missing the heart wrenching, stomach dropping, shaking feeling you used to get before you hit the mat to compete with your team.
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23. When you can still do a killer up do for competitions even though you don't have a competition to go to (higher the hair, the closer to heaven).
24. When you just have to text your old group message at least once a month saying, "I miss cheer," and you all start ranting about the glory days.
25. When you constantly are trying to find something to give you that amazing adrenaline rush you got after competing just one more time.
26. You are never opposed to being a cheerleader for Halloween. It's an excuse to wear another cheerleading uniform.
27. When you constantly are relating something back to a past routine and people just don't understand.
28. When you miss the girls that you created an amazing bond with, but although you are hundreds of miles away from each other you know they will always be there for you.
29. When you find yourself pretending to be a flyer and tick tock on three.
30. When you hear your old cheerleading team has a competition, you arrange your entire weekend schedule and attend no questions asked.
Whether its the big hair, uniforms and glitter, my team or just the love for cheer that I miss I know that it was a huge part of my life and always will be. As hard as it is to say I can officially say I am a retired cheerleader. Although I may never get the opportunity to relive my glory days I will always keep the memories close to my heart.
Peace. Love. Cheer <3
