By: Cheerleader Briana
It was a sunny, April afternoon and I had
just finished my final University exam. My car was packed, I said goodbye
to my family and friends and was off to the ‘big city’. It was just a few
short weeks before this fateful drive that a blue rose completely changed my
life.
I had been chosen from over one hundred and
fifty hopefuls to be a member of the 2008 Argos Cheerleaders. About
halfway through my drive, Green Day’s “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” came
on the radio. Quite the coincidence.
There I was, driving, about to begin a new
chapter in my life, one that was so completely different to the others.
For a brief moment, I thought I was going to become emotional and almost pulled
over to the side of the road. Then I heard the line, “it’s something
unpredictable, but in the end it’s right” and all I could do was smile. I
had heard this song a million times before, but the lyrics were never so
profound. I was moving 400 km away from everything and everyone I had ever
known to become a cheerleader. Of course I was nervous, and perhaps a bit
uncertain of my decision. My future was very unpredictable. But in the
end, it was right. I have been having the time of my life meeting new
people and doing things I never thought I would do.
I was nervous that I could never replace the
friends I had back home. Instead, I have found new friends with the
cheerleaders. The vets have welcomed me and the other rookies into their family
with open arms. I was nervous to leave Sudbury,
a community I was very much a part of, but now I am a member of the Toronto community, participating
in events and experiencing the city’s rich culture. A year ago, if
someone told me that I would be an Argos Cheerleader living in Toronto, I would have thought they were out
of their mind. It is perhaps the things you least expect that turn out to
be the most rewarding, fulfilling and exciting.
I have made memories that will last a
lifetime and look forward to the exciting challenges and adventures in my Argos future.