In My Maine…
In my Maine, everything takes me back to the same place, Kents Hill School. My Maine is mostly the school, my dorm room, my classes, the Alfond Athletics Center, but most importantly, the friendships that I have made here that will hopefully last a lifetime. The first time I stepped foot onto the campus, I didn’t like it, I was homesick, had no friends, and regretted the decision to come here. Everything felt new, out of place, and being the only one from Hungary, and the only one to speak Hungarian, I felt like an outsider. As Mainers would say, I was “from away”. I tried to hangout with my roommate, but he was from Mexico, and only hung out with the other Spanish speaking students, so I once again felt left out. I didn’t belong here, or so I thought.
Looking back at my first couple weeks here, I get a sense of happiness. Not because I had a good time, it was very hard, but because of what it led to in the end. Only if I knew in the moment that the place that I wanted to leave as fast as I could, would later become a home away from home. A place that would make me look forward to the end of summer, which I never before thought of happening, a place that becomes a part of me. I thought the four years here would be so long, and now here I am as a senior. Those four years went by in a blink of an eye, and the place I was anxious to go to, is a place I am now anxious to leave.
This place is the first to come to my mind when I hear the word “Maine”. I have so many memories here, so many hardships, and laughs. I could say that I partially grew up here. One of the most memorable moments for me here wasn’t a happy one. It was the 18th of November 2024, my junior year. It is the last day of hockey tryouts. Everyone went into the coach’s office one by one, to find out if they made the team or not, and my name got called. I walked into Coach Grade’s office with a smile, and a decent amount of confidence based on how much work I put in over summer and the fall. It was the most from any goalie at the school. Then I heard the words “this one is going to be one of the harder conversations”. My heart sank and I couldn’t believe that I got cut until he said it himself. At that point I didn’t register anything he said. I was just standing there speechless, staring at him, trying to hold back tears thinking all the hours and work that I have put into getting better were a waste. And there it was again, I wanted to go home.
It was the first time since the beginning of freshman year that I wanted to genuinely leave this place and go home. I thought my Maine, this school, was just hockey, and if it didn’t go how it should have and how I wanted it to, then why was I here in the first place. After a couple weeks of letting me process what just happened, I started to think straight. I realized that my Maine isn’t just the sport that I love, but also the people that I love, my friends. I realized how hard it would be for me to leave them behind, and how much I want to stay with them for as long as possible.
I think Maine, based on my experience which is very unique, is different for everyone. Maine is what you make of it, or what it makes of you, but never the same for two people. They might cross paths and share experiences, but will always have a different Maine in their heart and mind, whether they are from Maine, or “from away”.