I started rowing in the fall of my first year at Wellesley after the novice coach promised us each three things if we joined the team -- that we would make the best friends of our lives, that we would be in the best shape of our lives, and that we would win. I didn't need much more convincing than that. Sure enough, years later, I have a collection of trophies and memories from the NCAA Championships. Some of my happiest moments are from the shores of Lake Natoma in California with my teammates celebrating our victories. Of course, these memories are accompanied by the tough but often more valuable lessons that come with the losses and failures along the way. I have an unwavering appreciation for fitness and mindfulness that has helped me find balance as I find my place in the world outside of Wellesley. And most importantly, I have the strongest network of the truest friends without whom I would never be able to have found my best self. They were, and continue to be, my Wellesley Effect.