By Jamie Belfer || Sports Editor
Lauren Arnold is a warm and outgoing first year student looking to be a positive light on the F&M campus over these next four years. Lauren is from State College, Pennsylvania, which is about two hours northwest of F&M. She chose F&M for its “great academics” and “amazing volleyball program.” From her first visit, Lauren enjoyed the welcoming and supportive community of F&M and knew that she would love being a part of the F&Mily. Lauren was also drawn to F&M as she would have the flexibility to explore different academic interests at a liberal arts college. Lauren first became interested in Franklin & Marshall her sophomore year of high school. By her junior year, Lauren knew F&M was the place she wanted to pursue her academic and athletic careers at F&M.
While the status of what the fall semester would bring was uncertain throughout many of the summer months, Lauren was excited and grateful to hear the news that we would be able to come to campus this fall. Although the end of her high school senior year was unexpected, she appreciated the experience of taking classes online as she learned valuable time management skills that she could carry over to F&M. During quarantine, Lauren stayed busy by spending a lot of free time outdoors, including going on hikes and runs. She also enjoyed exercising at home along with zooming with her future volleyball teammates.
While this year may be far from a “typical” year of college, Lauren is looking forward to making the most of her time here at F&M. She is most excited about meeting new people, eating at the dining hall, and taking advantage of as many opportunities as she can. One such opportunity she has already seized is becoming a part of the orchestra chamber group and taking lessons for the violin.
Lauren has a passion for music. She has played the violin ever since she was five years old. She has been a part of the Central PA Youth Orchestra, has performed at weddings, and has a local concert every summer with her family and friends. Her family has been a big music influence on her as her father plays the drums, her sister and mother play the piano, and her brother is learning to play the guitar. Lauren loves how “music brings people together” and uses the violin as an “artistic outlet” that allows her to decompress and create an art form. Thus, she is looking to continue this passion during her time at F&M.
Lauren also has a passion for volleyball. She began playing in eighth grade. After switching to a new club volleyball team her sophomore year, she was inspired by her coach and teammates to improve and be the best she could be. This experience helped her grow immensely as a player and person. Throughout high school, Lauren fell in love with the game. She loves the competitiveness of the sport. She loves how every single member on the team must contribute in order for the team to have success. She loves the communication and energy of the game. As a “hitter,” she loves “getting an awesome kill” and having the “perfect play” when the timing is just right. Above all, she loves the immense hype and thrill of the game.
After talking with the volleyball coaches at F&M and meeting some upperclassmen, Lauren thought everyone on the team was awesome, fun, and very inclusive. She appreciated how every player had a relationship with every player and how everyone loved and respected each other. Over the summer, Lauren has gotten to know her new teammates through facetime and snapchat. She has even joined the recruiting committee on the team and has had meetings with current and potential future players.
While Lauren is excited to continue pursuing her music and volleyball interests, she is also looking forward to developing new interests. Lauren is interested in developing her leadership skills as she has applied on her team to become a member of SALC, or the Student Athletic Leadership Council. She is also interested in pursuing new academic interests such as Italian. Lauren is an intended BOS major. She loves talking to people and therefore hopes to possibly find an eventual career in marketing or working with social media. Lauren is excited to explore different academic areas as she is thinking about minoring in psychology or an area involving music.
Lauren cannot wait to grow and learn at F&M. Whether it’s exploring her likes and dislikes, learning new perspectives, or talking with others, Lauren is excited and ready to take on this new adventure of college. Along with that, she hopes to brighten up and contribute to the F&M community by using her passion of being a positive light to love others, be a leader, and be a friend who you can always go to and count on.
Junior Jamie Belfer is the Sports Editor. Her email is jbelfer@fandm.edu.