I was in a relationship for 11 years. For 11 years, I literally put my blood, sweat and tears into the game, and then one day, it was over. I knew it was coming, it wasn't a surprise, but that didn't stop me from sobbing the whole bus ride home. The end of an era, and I was completely broken inside. Who was I without my sport?

Being a lacrosse player was a part of who I was, it was where I met my friends, it was what I spent most of my "spare time" (LOL what is that every student would like to know) working on, leaving me a very limited window for a social life. But that was okay because I had friends that became family through lacrosse.

Lacrosse got me into college, and then again into grad school. My grades were decent, my test scores weren't bad, but I had the added advantage of being an athlete. This shaped my identity, it shaped with whom and where I spent my time, and it shaped my college experience. But then, one day, it was all over.

I will never forget the rainy and cold end to my collegiate athletic career. The clock wound down and tears involuntarily streamed down my face. I bent over in pain as the final buzzer sounded and that was it. I wasn't a lacrosse player anymore. The sport I had spent over half of my life playing, that I had tattooed on my body, was no longer accepting my participation. Where was I supposed to go from here?

I will always love the game, I will always be indebted to the game for the friendships it gave me, for the life lessons it taught me, and for the opportunities it gave me.

For the seniors staring this looming tragedy in the face, you will never stop missing it. For the juniors making the jokes about looking forward to retirement; STOP. You will regret these thoughts. For the sophomores reaching the halfway point in their journey: take in every moment you have from here on out, cherish them, and don't lose your fire. And for the nubile young freshman, who have just begun their journey: keep your drive, your fire, and celebrate every big play like it was your first collegiate moment, because eventually, you will be at your last.

It's okay to get sad and miss the camaraderie. What's not okay is remaining stagnant and refusing to move on with your life. Being an athlete gave you so many tools to being successful in the workforce, USE THEM. Take all the team building, the learning to work with the teammate you don't like, the creative alternatives to curse words, and use them to become your best self in a situation where you are developing your career. Don't be that player that everyone makes fun of because they never moved on, never left their old college town, and never made any use of their degree.

Look forward to your alumni game, to being back on the field with your family, to rocking that old game day hairstyle (shout out to the power buns), to pregame rituals and celebrations that are embedded in your memories. Look forward to the reunions with your old "battle buddies", the people who bled by your side. Look forward to all these moments, they will be some of the best you have.

Remember that you are more than the person under the uniform. You might have a wicked shot or brick wall defense, but you also have a good heart, a strong mind and a good work ethic. Remember that while your sport amplified these characteristics in clutch game making moments, it isn't the only place you will ever see them.

My life without the game isn't the same, but because I played the game I have been changed for good.