Catch Up with Simply Emily Elizabeth

These pass couple of weeks have been crazy! The last weeks of April, I finished the spring season of soccer as it was the final spring season I will have at Aquinas. I turned 21 on the 23rd of April, finally! Summer courses have begun as getting into the routine of class and lab. This summer, I am taking one class at Aquinas (that is only given at AQ) and three classes at Grand Rapids Community College. In order to graduate on time, I have to take these classes. This is my last summer of my senior year! It is crazy to think that I will enter in my senior year of college and my final year of soccer. I seriously don't know what my life will be after soccer is done (tear!). 

I can't wait to share my summer adventures with you that come in a couple of weeks! 

My Hopes for 2018

Over Christmas Break, it was great to take a moment and appreciate all of the accomplishments that 2017 has given me. I am looking forward to what 2018 has to offer especially with soccer, college, my career, and with Simply Emily Elizabeth.  

Soccer: 
In 2018, it will be my final year at Aquinas to play soccer. As crazy as that sounds, my senior year came way to quick. I felt like I was just a freshman coming into preseason, these years have gone by so fast. Being apart of an amazing team which is full of friendships that will be treasured forever. In being off season (spring semester), I am hoping to continue in working hard leading into preseason with constantly working out besides having soccer practices. With a busy schedule, actually making time in the morning to go workout, drink a lot of water and make healthy decisions when it comes to food.

Career/Internship: 

I can't wait to share my experiences within my career field of Child Life Specialist. I have finished with volunteering at a local hospital in the Grand Rapids area, now I will be working on applying for my practicum in the spring of 2018. Then I will be applying for internships after my practicum in a different hospital around the Grand Rapids area or even in Michigan. Then after the internship, I will take a certification test to qualify within the field. I am continuing to collect children's books, small activities and toys for having my own collection for working in the field of child life. 

College: 
With my chaotic life as a student athlete, my years at Aquinas are coming to an end especially with school. I look forward to this spring semester and staying on top of my education. The end of my undergraduate career is quickly ending with only a few classes in my Child Life department. Into the next semester, I will be taking 14 credits (which is easy to manage). Then I will be doing summer classes at a local community college with three of my classes that is not offered in the summer semester at AQ, plus it is cheaper to take these classes there. I am hoping to graduate in December of 2018, with a Bachelors of Science in Psychology with a Child Life concentration. 

Blog: 

With coming into the new year, I am excited for more photo shoots around different towns and coffee shops. I'm excited to broaden my fashion sense within the newest trends of 2018. I have heard through common demand for more lifestyle blog posts which will be happening in 2018. I would love to collaborate with more bloggers in the world of blogging and also do fun activities with my social media accounts. I am hoping to join other social media sites soon. 

I can't wait to expand my knowledge in college, career, blog and soccer. I want to thank my readers for constantly encouraging me to do what I do. Thank you for being you. This year will bring tears, hope, the positive and negative aspects of life but I'm ready to take 2018 on! 

Homecoming With A Twist

Being now an alumni of Thornapple Kellogg, it always has became a tradition to relive memories around the old stopping grounds of Middleville. Homecoming is a big deal filled with a main street parade, tailgating with family and friends, and Friday night football. This year of football got a new coach with new expectations. A close mentor and teacher Jeff Dock took over the football team with hopes of changing the team dynamics. I admire him for always taking a challenge and going head strong into them. Since in Michigan, the first day of fall was a high of 90 degrees, shorts and a tank top became an essential for the heat. I wore a simple orange tank top/crop top that I bought from a local consignment store in Grand Rapids and white boardwalk pull-on shorts from J.Crew Factory. These shorts are very comfortable and versatile to wear. My tank top was long enough to not show off my stomach but covered the hemp of the shorts. I accessorized with a J.Crew Factory layered circle necklace, my Relic watch, a pearl bracelet and a couple Pandora rings.

Unfortunately Friday morning, in a simple soccer drill, I rolled over the ball, heard a "pop" and down I went clutching my ankle. As being a soccer player, my ankles have always been an issue but this time was different. My ankle swelled up like a baseball ball instantly as Matt (our trainer at Aquinas) quickly made me ice my ankle. I have honestly never seen my ankle get a large as it did. Matt quickly went back to the athletic training room (that was across campus) to grab a walking boot and crutches to stabilize the ankle and be my transportation for the next couple of days. Three days later, there is still swelling in my ankle but hopefully can get X-rays by today or within the week.


Homecoming at Aquinas was over this weekend as well. Since we don't have a football team, many fellow alumni, current students and teachers come out to the soccer games on Saturday while enjoying the beer tent and other activities around campus. As I stated before the temperatures were near high 90's which meant on the turf was ten degrees hotter. Our game was originally suppose to be at noon but the heat index was low 100's so we had to make a quick decision to delay both the men's and women's games to later in the evening. Our game got delayed till five in the afternoon, when we arrived the field was still in the high 90's and we delayed it for thirty more minutes. We finally had our game and lost 1-0 to the third ranked team in the NAIA. It was difficult to sit on the sidelines but it was awesome to see other teammates step up to the plate when time was needed.

This homecoming was definitely one for the books as I have never hated crutches this much in my life. The ankle is still on the mend as there is still some swelling but I still may need X-rays. I hope everyone's upcoming week into October goes great!

AQWS Takes Chicago

First off, thank you for being patience about having no blog post for more than a week. College started last Monday (which was a great day), all of my classes have already been full go and I'm already doing assignments that will do for the following week which is crazy with 18 credits.
This weekend, Aquinas College Women's Soccer team took a weekend trip to Chicago for two back-to-back games. The weekend started with the team leaving early Monday morning with the three hour bus ride (along with a time change). We stopped for brunch at Panera Bread (where you can't go wrong). We played our first game against St. Francis (IL) where we tied 0-0 in double overtime. In the late afternoon, we had dinner at Olive Garden which was super yummy! It's fun to hang around the girls while not playing soccer. Saturday morning we traveled downtown Chicago to adventure in the city and be a "true tourist" (a phrase coming from our British coach). A couple girls and I went to the Navy Pier then to Millennium Park to see the giant "Bean". I can finally check off for seeing the "Bean" and it was probably the highlight of my weekend. Our second game was later that evening as I finally captured my first starting spot for my junior year. We won against St. Xavier 2-1. I got to see my family that spent the whole weekend in Chicago with me for about roughly ten minutes but they are my inspiration for playing college soccer.

Chicago was an amazing team bonding weekend, but also a victorious soccer weekend. Thank you again for being patience about the lacking blog posts, I promise that there are more on it's way.

Daily Life of A Student Athete

People ask me "How do I have to manage being a student athlete?" During the fall, my schedule is completely crazy and full of soccer and school. Times get stressful when it seems like all due dates come together with barely any time left to finish them while having soccer games once a week then one on the weekend. In the fall, soccer become my full time job along with being a student.

I start the morning off with practice from 9-11am, then classes start at 1-4pm, along with finding time to eat and study turns to a long day. When the game during the week, especially away games can become stressful as the possibility of missing class becomes an issue. At Aquinas, our coaches always believe that school comes first as that was the reason we came to this school to further our education.

During season, I'm constantly staying in contact with my professors of my schedule for the week. Emailing back and forth of assignments that I may possibly miss if our bus time is during class. Professors are typically understanding of college athletes and their schedules but also hold us to a higher standard to complete papers, assignments, or to know the material that would be missed during lecture. Professors will respect you more when you continue to make the effort to communicate on your conflicts and questions.

I live by organizing my life into my Lilly Pulitzer agenda where I write down all the assignments, paper due dates, test dates, along with my soccer and work schedule. My agenda becomes my best friend especially at night when figuring out the next day. I don't know how some people can just remember what assignments are due when they don't write anything down.

As a commuter (I will be living at home for the year), I have tried to organize my schedule to only have classes on certain days to give the rest of the weekdays to catch up on homework. Also it will give my body take a break from the craziness.

If my body is beaten up or strained from game day or practice then I will often go visit our athletic trainer's room to do slight physical therapy, to get rolled out before and after practice, or to get taped on whatever muscle needs it (I have terrible ankles and had knee surgery December of 2015). Our athletic trainer for soccer knows many of the soccer girls really well as we basically live in the trainer's room.

Being a college athlete is a blessing as I met amazing women who have the same amount of passion to commit on playing college soccer. Playing a college sport has taught me life lessons of patience, commitment, and toughness (mentally and physically). I seriously don't know how we (student athletes) survive on most days. It's a miracle.