°®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ

05/11/2020 1:20 AM

The Flow of the River

Nick Porter ’20

My close friends and family can attest to the fact that I am a sucker for a good river; they flow with definitive purpose, gracefully outline cities, and are oftentimes muddy, dirty, and unashamedly real.

I instantly fell in love with the aesthetic beauty of the Illinois River and the blue-collar landscape that surrounded it while on my first visit to Peoria and °®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ.

The river wasn’t pristine, but that’s what made it relatable. I grew up in the small town of Paxton, Ill., where my life – like everyone else’s – was far from perfect. My father died in June of 2014, and I spent the tail end of my high school career channeling grief into academic and athletic endeavors.

This tunnel vision attitude allowed me to join one of the best distance-running programs in the country and gave me the confidence to pursue a double major in biomedical science and Spanish. It also pushed me to orchestrate my own week-long community service trip and increased my desire to attend medical school.

However, this fixation on success created a façade, one where I put on the mask of perfection despite what happened in the world around me. During my freshman year, the intense demands I placed on myself around high-level athletics, academics and other extracurriculars began to expose holes in the wall I had built. I’ve had a lot of successes while at °®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ, but the weight of the struggles almost always felt heavier than the relief of accomplishments.

My °®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ Experience has been anything but a steady ride. However, at every peak, valley, and countless points in-between, I have had truly incredible professors, coaches, friends, teammates, lab partners and classmates who have picked me up time and again. More importantly, my °®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ family has shown me that being true and genuine is okay.

I offer this very real reflection of my time at °®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ because, just like the Illinois River two miles down Main Street that never masks itself for anything besides what it is, I now value my individuality and identity and work diligently to cultivate it.

I spent much of my last year on the Hilltop thinking about my next steps, especially applying to medical school. While some may feel apprehension about such situations, I did not because of how well °®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ prepared me to attack every challenge that lies ahead.

To my °®¶¹´«Ã½ÊÓƵ family and all the Braves reading this, I would like to give you the most true and heartfelt thank you. You have made me a better student, a better athlete and, most of all, a better, more genuine person. For that I will be forever indebted to, and thankful for, the privilege of attending this incredible institution.