I was captivated by sports at 10 years old. The players, stats, predictions, everything. When most girls wanted clothes or jewelry for their birthdays, I asked for tickets. I never followed celeb news, but always the latest trades. I soon noticed I didn’t exactly fit in perfectly, and knew I couldn’t talk to a lot of my friends who were girls about sports. But I’m thankful I found something to be so passionate about. It has taught me more than I could have ever imagined.

1. To be patient.

When I first became interested in sports, I was so easily frustrated at everything from losses to bad trades, but soon realized that it’s all out of my control. Roger Angell said it best, "It's supposed to be fun, the man says 'Play Ball' not 'Work Ball' you know?” In the end, it’s a game. It’s better not to sweat the small stuff, especially if it’s meant for your own enjoyment.

2. To find balance.

Sure, I won’t leave until the last out but I also won’t leave until my makeup is perfect and my hair is straight. As much as I invest myself in sports I invest in doing girly things too. For me, the line is blurred; going to a football game is just as important as going shopping.

3. To be tolerant of others.

Nothing was more aggravating to me than hearing another fan talk badly about the team I liked, or even being in the vicinity of another fan, and I would let them know it. A lot of this frustration came from having a passion as strong as mine, but it’s no excuse. As I grew up, I realized it was childish to dislike other fans so much, but that didn’t completely end my neurosis. But what truly made me respect other fans was dating one. I always joked that I would date someone who didn’t like the same teams I do, but then it actually happened. My current boyfriend and I don’t agree on one sports team, and as trivial as this may seem, at first, I was concerned this would lead to problems. But after dating for some time, I realized passion is passion, no matter the team. He loves sports just as much as I do, and that’s all that matters. Being a good, true fan is learning to respect them, no matter how bad the team they like may be ...

4. To not worry what others think.

It began in my 10th grade sports literature class. Amidst a classroom full of boys, I was the only girl. It was uncomfortable, awkward, and at times I felt it hard to focus. This continued through college as well. I was the only girl who did sports updates for our school radio station, and I felt singled out and almost not good enough. I thought I had to prove to everyone that I did in fact know as much about sports as the guys did. Now I realize that none of this matters. I became very close with the teacher of that 10th grade sports class, and he would always say, “You’re not as important as you think you are.” While this seems somewhat cold and harsh, it’s completely true. People are concerned with themselves and truthfully, it didn’t matter that I was the only girl in a classroom full of boys. If anything, it just showed how little I care what others think. Joining a radio station with a staff of just males is just as bold, despite how uncomfortable I felt.

The truth is, I will probably always feel a little different because of this, but I would rather spend my life truly passionate about something than adhering to social norms. I would choose staying in and watching a game in sweats rather than going out ... that’s just me.