Transitioning from high school to college is a whirlwind. Like many freshmen, I felt a mix of excitement and overwhelm stepping onto campus. Everything was new, and figuring out where I belonged felt daunting. Fresh out of high school, the lyrics of Taylor Swift’s “Fifteen,” meant for the middle school to high school leap, resonated even more deeply as I navigated college life. Undecided on my major and not knowing many people since my high school friends scattered to different universities, I felt a bit adrift. But campus life quickly absorbed me – making friends, dorm life, and classes soon filled my days.
About two months into my first semester, my path unexpectedly changed. Walking through the university center, I passed by the student organization tables. On our campus, “tabling” is how groups recruit students for events or to join their organizations. An upperclassman I recognized called out to me, “Do you know what Dance Marathon is?” My first thought was the classic student maneuver – head down, keep walking! But something made me stop. “No, what is it?” I replied. Now, having asked and answered that question countless times, I realize how big of a question it truly is. Whatever that upperclassman told me that day sparked something because, despite my hesitation, I signed up.
Honestly, my first year involvement was minimal. I didn’t attend meetings, and I only started fundraising the week before the event, managing to get just two donations. When the event day arrived – a 24-hour dance marathon – I fully intended to leave early. I couldn’t have been more wrong. As the event unfolded, I listened to powerful stories from families directly supported by our campus’s efforts and met incredible kids fighting serious illnesses. During the dueling pianos performance, I looked around at the sheer joy and unity in the room, everyone brought together for a cause far bigger than ourselves. That moment became my favorite memory of freshman year. Little did I know, it was just the beginning of finding my purpose.
(Me and my best friends, the Scheff boys)
Fast forward nearly three years, and I’m now a senior, serving my second year on our Dance Marathon program’s executive team. While Dance Marathon is designed for participants to give back to their local Children’s Miracle Network Hospital, the truth is, Dance Marathon has given me immeasurably more. My “why” for participating has grown to encompass my entire heart. Now, when someone asks, “What is Dance Marathon?”, I get to share how it directly impacts these amazing local families, how it has instilled in me a strong work ethic to achieve my goals, and how it has revealed the incredible power of community support and love.
One of my most cherished memories happened after our Dance Marathon event last year. Waking up from my post-event nap, I checked Facebook. As recruitment chair, I had added all our new participants to a group. I had poured my heart into recruitment, hoping that at least one person would experience that same profound connection to the cause that I felt after my first event. I was completely overwhelmed by the posts I saw, tears welling up as I read through them. One quote from a participant’s post has stayed with me: “Now I get why they call it the best day of the year.”
So, why do I dance? It’s simple. I dance to inspire others to join this incredible movement of a generation fighting for the next, hoping that one day, we will all dance in celebration of a world where these battles are won.
Michaela Goldammer, a participant in Dakotathon benefiting Sanford Children’s Hospital — Sioux Falls.
