The launch party was so cool. It was just an awesome feeling to know that everyone had come to celebrate us and our potential. Meeting Rory was definitely the highlight of the night. He was so down to earth and just…. normal. I had no idea that we would be meeting with him on such a personal level. It was very informal and he answered all of our questions and was just a genuine human being. I was disappointed in myself because I couldn't think of any good questions to ask him. But, we did share a moment when the Game of Thrones talk started.
My athletic director from Monmouth was there and I didn't know she was coming so I thought that was pretty cool. Also, I was one of the lucky few scholars whose parents were able to attend. My mom made me take pictures with every person there and then she made me and my dad take a thousand more pictures together.
What really stayed with me from the launch party was Gareth Maguire's speech. It wasn't a very long speech (which is rare for Uncle G) but it was so inspiring. I could tell that he genuinely just wants the best for his country and that all the work he does is from the heart. He made me want to work harder and to really think about the lack of opportunities some people are faced with. As cliche as it sounds apart of me just wants to make Uncle G proud. He saw something in me, he took a chance on me, he invested in my education, in my career. I feel like not only do I owe it to myself but I owe it to him to do as much as I can while I'm here.
