Being the youngest of four siblings, junior Meklit Wondwossen was influenced by her older brother and sister. Her brother was the trendsetter of the family, so when he decided to play basketball, all of her siblings followed in his footsteps.
Throughout her basketball career, Wondwossen also gained inspiration from Kyrie Irving, the point guard for the Dallas Mavericks. She admires how much he brings awareness to and advocates for mental health.
“It’s really inspiring to see him at a high level…to play as a performer and also let people know that he has a life too,” she said.
This was something valuable for Wondwossen, as the pressure of basketball has affected her mental health in the past.
“I feel like sometimes I’m not enough,” she said. However, she believes it is important to stay grounded in the idea that “I can do the best I can, and that’s all that really matters.”
Nevertheless, when she feels discouraged, she pushes herself to think about accomplishing things for her teammates and emphasizes how her teammates mean a lot to her.
“If I can’t do it for myself, I’d rather do it for them,” she said.
Another way Wondwossen keeps herself motivated is by adhering to the philosophy that when she works out, it is an opportunity for her to improve — to get better for herself and her teammates so they can enjoy the season.
For many players in team sports, it can feel like there is pressure to not make mistakes as it affects your team. Wondwossen often resonates with this, but she works to get out of her head by relying on those who support and encourage her even if it’s difficult at times.
Over time, she realized that everyone has their moments and that it’s okay to mess up every now and then.
“If [my teammates] make a mistake, I’ll get upset for a little bit, but I realized that it’s all about mistakes,” she said. “It’s really just a game and I still love them and I know they love me too.”
Wondwossen started her freshman year without knowing anyone. Although it was scary at first, when she participated in basketball during the summer and went to the freshman retreat, she came to school with a new group of friends.
On her first day of school, Wondwossen said that she was happy to see that the teachers genuinely care about her learning. She is reassured that anytime she comes after school, someone will be willing to help her out. “All my teachers are really understanding, and they realize that I have a life outside of school,” she said. “They are trying to help me be the best I can be.”
She feels that her Catholic Moral Thinking/Catholic Social Teaching class with religion teacher Mr. Dan Marcantuono (also known as Mr. Marc) exemplifies this trait.
In Mr. Marc’s class, she feels like the material they are learning — world situations and mortality — is relevant to her life and helping her grow as a person and form closer bonds with people.
She is sad knowing that her basketball team is losing seniors. “It’s hard having a lot of upperclassmen friends,” she said. Wondwossen really cares for her teammates and feels like it’s going to be hard without them, which is why she treasures the memories they make together.
One example of team bonding is the exciting retreats they embark on, like the beach retreat at the beginning of the season. During this trip, they gather together with their gear and take photos. After this, they spend a lot of time talking and playing games, allowing Wondwossen to form closer relationships with everyone.
In her free time, Wondwossen loves going on walks and taking pictures of nature. On these adventures, she consistently listens to artists like The Weeknd and Future, but she also enjoys listening to Drake, Teezo Touchdown, and SZA.
Wondwossen cherishes maintaining bonds with people she doesn’t get to see that often. For instance, during the summer, she went to support her friends’ games and went out for food after.
She also likes going thrifting with her friends at the Goodwill Bins — she described it as a “hit or miss” since the things you find may not always be to your liking. She enjoys thrifting at places like Village Merchants and 2nd Street as well, although it’s more expensive.
Last summer, her French class went to Paris, where they visited various castles, saw the Eiffel Tower, and learned about French history.
Wondwossen felt immersed in the culture and community and realized how interesting it would be to live in European countries like Switzerland and Germany. In the future, she hopes to obtain a career that allows her to travel the world, like marketing and business.
“I just want to explore the world,” and “be in places I haven’t been before [to] step outside of my comfort zone,” she said.
