It was one month before I was supposed to move in for my first semester of college when I received a text. Previously, I expressed interest in participating in a color guard at school, but unfortunately the marching band at my college is devoid of auxiliary. Now, some random girl had texted me asking if I was interested in Highland Dance. While usually this sort of dance is performed at competitions, these dancers perform with the marching band at football games. I discussed it with my mom, and decided why not! Going to a new school I really had nothing to lose.

To be very honest, I didn’t even watch all the videos that my head dancer sent me. I just figured that I would find out what highland dance was once I arrived at school. My then four weeks until move in turned into two weeks, and sooner rather than later I was moved into my first college dorm going to my first band meeting. Funny enough, one of the dancers actually had to come get me because I could not find the music building. I then spent my first week of band camp learning how to highland dance, and I loved it.

Three years later I’m still loving every second of highland, if not enjoying it more. I spent most of my high school career in color guard, a very creative sport where people design shows complete with themes and stories that you tell the audience. Highland dance is almost the exact opposite. A book comes out every year that defines every step of every dance, there is a definite right and wrong in highland (most of the time). Your uniform rarely changes and there are a limited number of dances. But it is those exact things that drew me to Highland, I loved having structure and knowing that there is only one right way.

Not only do I love the sport itself, but also the people I have met. The love for an activity can truly flourish when you are with the right people. My first year of highland it was myself and four other seniors, and to be honest, I was extremely intimidated, but by the end of the week, I had made great friends that helped me navigate that first year of college. To this day, I am still making wonderful friends through Highland, friends that I hope will last a lifetime. I continue to grow and become a better dancer each day. Not only that, but learning Highland dance has helped me in other sports as well, I now know exactly how to squeeze a core muscle and how to engage that calf muscle. Highland dance, while difficult, tiring, and leaving me sore day after day, is one of my favorite things. Each Tuesday I get to walk into a smiling classroom of friends and mentors. I spend two hours working on the tiniest thing that becomes a huge improvement in my dancing later on, and I have really awesome fun fact about me to tell people.

Interested in learning more about Highland Dance? Check out these websites:

https://www.facebook.com/woosterhighlanddance/

https://www.wooster.edu/academics/areas/music/woos...