Fall Quarter Recap 2022

Long time no blog! Here I am, done with finals and assignments and wondering what to do with the sudden luxury of free-time. My mom said my “fans” want a fall quarter recap. So, whoever you are, here it is (;

I had an amazingly busy quarter. I took 5 classes (compared to my 3 per quarter last year), including a math class and two coding classes. Though I spent a great chunk of my time in class and office hours, it was fun to have a full routine. My favorite class was Sports Writing, consisting of fellow athletes and sports-fans. Pursuing my hobby in an academic setting was special, and the assignments didn’t feel like homework. Writing about track or the Padres? That can’t be considered school. My final piece was a personal essay about my track career that I can’t wait to share here on the blog.

The piece follows my track career up until last week, right before my first race of the season. For the recap of my fall training, I will pick up here where it left off. I didn’t just survive fall training, known for being the most difficult time of year, but I thrived. Being healthier certainly helped (I was only sick twice, and no sinus infections), but I have also adjusted to the collegiate training and coaching style. My sprints coach and I meet bimonthly to discuss workouts, progress, and goals, and it has been so encouraging. Last year, the biggest challenge was having a “hard” workout nearly every day of the week as opposed to the once-weekly killer workout in high school. “Terrible Tuesday’s,” as they were called, were predictably difficult and spaced out so that I could physically recover and mentally prepare in time for the next one. Every day was Tuesday in the fall last year. Through adjustments from both me and my coach, I still have 2-3 difficult workouts a week, but I can recover and prepare for them much better. I’m still learning how to couple my newfound strength with my speed from high school to create a lethal dual on the track.

My first opportunity to put this to the test was last weekend in Spokane, WA at the Podium. One year old, it is the nicest indoor facility I have ran at in terms of amenities. Proximity to Old Spaghetti Factory and Chili’s is also a plus. I ran the open 400 and, even though I didn’t execute a perfect race, I still ran a collegiate best–1 second faster than my best time last year. It was also my fastest season opener of my life. And I know I can run faster. I did run faster, actually, in the 4x400 relay a few hours later. Third leg, I got the baton about 10 meters behind and handed it off to the anchor roughly the same amount ahead. I felt like Camille again. Or, in my coach’s words that were music to my ears, “that is the girl I recruited.” I look forward to the rest of the season to keep being me.

While school and sports are the main pillars of my life at Stanford, I have also seen friendships blossom this quarter. This year, I am co-president of our Fellowship of Christian Athletes chapter and leader of our women’s Bible study. It has been so special to see God moving in the hearts of those who I spend the most of my time with. The leadership team and the girls in my Bible study have become my closest friends! We laugh a lot together, a central piece to my life that was missing last year.

One of my FCA friends is my dormmate, and another lives right across the hall. The dorms are apartment style, with our own kitchens, living rooms, and bathrooms. It’s a serious game changer. Now, coming back from practice feels like I am coming back to a home, not just a room. Sometimes, the dorm is full of laughter and music and smells of dinner, and other times it’s just me and the peace and quiet. I love both options, and a perfect blend of both satisfies my personal mix of extroversion and introversion.

Next quarter, I will be in season, traveling out of state several weekends for races. I am taking four classes: a children’s book writing class, a strategic management class, another calculus class, and a sociology class on social networks. I will keep leading Bible study and FCA large groups, and I intend to restart my internship with Stanford University Communications. I am so excited to be home–I am on the plane right now–but I also think I will be excited to go back in the winter.

Merry Christmas to my so-called "fans," I hope you have a lovely holiday season!

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