The Olympics only come 'round every four years, kind of like a leap year. Actually, they're televised every two years, considering there's the Summer Olympics and the Winter Olympics.

When I was a kid (usually only around the time the Olympics were happening) I would pretend that I was going to be an Olympian too. Didn't know what sport I would compete in, which is kind of important, but I wanted to be an Olympian.

Now, I'm not the most athletic. I hate running, but I LOVE volleyball and being goalie for camp soccer, and playing intramural football (I'd kind of like to try rugby), and I dabble in games of racquetball here and there. And, of course, I'm a huge supporter of athletics as a fan. But I've never really trained. I feel like I never really had the support or encouragement to push myself harder to be an athlete. My support system was my parents and one very good friend from high school.

Otherwise, coach didn't give me playing time (and wasn't going to), so I didn't give her my time. This didn't make me work harder, it made me doubt my abilities and make me feel worthless on the team.

I'm in a love/hate relationship with the Olympics, and I'm really realizing this now during the 2016 Rio Olympics.

LOVE

1. Unity

I love how the Olympics always seems to bring people together. Chants of "USA! USA! USA!" resound throughout the country. A great example of this was when the Baltimore Ravens paused their pre-season football game to show one of Michael Phelps' medal races on the jumbotron.

2. Feats of Athletic Ability

It's amazing seeing the achievements our athletes are capable of. Every year, it seems we bring a team onto the field, court, sand, pool, etc. that MIND-BLOWINGLY dominate the competition.

3. MICHAEL FREAKING PHELPS.

Oh. my. word. I just am in awe of how one person, ONE SINGULAR PERSON, has been capable of attaining so many medals, a majority of which are GOLD. #MichaelPhelpsOlympicVictoryScreech. Also, Phelps has been in every Olympics with the exception of one (1996) since I was born (2000, 2004, 2008, 2012, 2016), so who am I supposed to cheer for if he doesn't come back for 2020?

4. History

History being made before our very eyes. Records get broken, winning streaks end, anything can happen. Katie Ledecky TOPPED two of her WORLD RECORDS. Serena Williams LOST her first Olympic tennis match. Someone has won a gold medal for Independent Olympians with no specific country. HOW COOL IS THAT?

5. Fresh Sports

There's exposure to events and games that don't get broadcasted as often. The Olympics, for me, offer a fresh view to sports. Yes, it offers basketball, and golf, and soccer, but I don't really watch those because I could watch that any old day. Give me rugby, field hockey, handball, water polo, gymnastics (I am in AWE of gymnastics every. single. time.), volleyball (indoor or outdoor), rowing, swimming, I will try to watch IT ALL.

6. The Athletes

Everyone is super attractive. (Going from the woman's perspective here) have you seen the Olympic swimmers/divers? How about the men's volleyball team? Or rugby? OR THE MEN'S GYMNASTICS TEAM? And it's not just Team USA that has attractive team members. #Blessed

HATE

1. In Person

I wish I could be there. Oh man, how cool would that be? This year I realized, as I watched the Olympics from my couch after work or live-streamed events during lunch at camp, I should've asked if I could've covered the Olympics for the Odyssey.

2. Self Evaluations and Comparisons

Sometimes I feel super unaccomplished while watching the Olympics. What? As a 19-year-old Katie Ledecky destroyed her world record she set four years earlier when she was 15? I'm 21 and all I've done is graduate high school and am getting ready to graduate college. What? Michael Phelps won his 20-something-eth GOLD medal? What am I doing with my life? It's crazy to me how people my age- MY AGE- are on the world's stage competing for gold, silver, bronze and setting/breaking WORLD or OLYMPIC RECORDS.

3. Connections

I want to meet everyone. I want to actually meet the Olympians from like, every country (especially Team USA, of course) and make friends with them. I want to hear their stories and know them as a person and not just as an OUTSTANDING athlete. I don't know, I don't know if this is a "me" thing/way of thinking, but like, I want to know everyone just in general, if it's a movie cast from a movie I really liked, or everyone in a group I'm in on campus. Sometimes they (the athletes) don't seem real to me since I've only seen them through the screen.

4. Travel

I want to travel. Okay, maybe I didn't want to travel as much to Rio, hearing all the negative things I did pre-2016 Olympics, but seeing all the people from ALL AROUND THE WORLD, I want to travel and see their country, see what they see on a daily basis.

5. Live and in the Moment

I miss the energy and excitement of seeing something amazing happening IN PERSON. It's a wonderful feeling. I experienced it when UNI beat UNC in November. I experienced it when Paul Jesperson threw up the game winning shot against Texas that got UNI into the next round of March Madness. Think of how AMPLIFIED that would be at the Olympics.

6. Overwhelmed

Sometimes I get overwhelmed by the Olympics. Too much team spirit? No, actually I get overwhelmed because there's SO MUCH GOING ON. Which sport am I supposed to watch and when? What irks me is that gymnastics and swimming and beach volleyball are ALWAYS on, ALWAYS broadcasted. What if I wanted to watch women's rugby? Or fencing? Not that I don't mind gymnastics, or swimming, or beach volleyball, but I like being exposed to the other sports the Olympics have to offer as well.

Every four years, or every two if we're talking both Summer and Winter Olympics combined, this all goes through my head. This love/hate relationship with the Olympics.

Some day I hope to aspire to go to the Olympics, not as an athlete. Yes, I've accepted that I will never walk in the parade of athletes or really ever be that skilled (I'm skilled in other ways, like writing and design). I would love to go to the Olympics as a reporter. I would love to have that press pass in hand and see the best athletes and athletic feats the world has to offer.

One day.

Perhaps.