If there has been a certain group of people in my life who have positively impacted me in many ways, it has to be those in my dive team. They are such a tightly knit group of people who can always find a way to make someone smile even on a bad day and laugh until their stomach hurts on all the others.

They are so much more than just teammates: friends, partners-in-crime, sometimes therapists even, and most importantly, a family unlike any other. They’re always there to lend an ear for someone to talk to or confide in. There is something about my team that lets one feel comfortable being themselves and pour their thoughts out when they need to.

Not only at practice but also in regular life, my teammates are willing to support anyone when they are having trouble. My mental health has improved a considerable amount since joining my dive team. Through interacting with them, my own personality has both matured and grown stronger as well, both which have allowed me to be a better person.

A lot of my stress comes from having to balance a schedule including both schoolwork and extracurricular activities. My teammates understand this stress because they, too, experience the daily pressures of handling multiple aspects of their lives simultaneously. This is what brings us even closer together as compared to my classmates at school.

We care for each other like parental figures and companions, switching roles depending on the situation. Each one of them is extremely thoughtful, unique, compassionate, and hilarious beyond comparison. I never thought there would be such a perfect combination of personalities, but here we are.

Even though it has only been a year since I have met those on my dive team, I feel like I have grown closer to them than anyone I have ever met before. In the past year, we have played numerous games, insulted (jokingly, of course) each other, lifted each other up, and made so many unforgettable memories in the process (my camera roll will be the judge of that). They are truly amazing people whom I am beyond lucky and grateful to have in my life. I would like to thank them for being that phenomenal group of friends I never got to have before, and for showing me that there can be people who appreciate me as much as they do.