Katherine Blain: Redefining Independence

My mom always jokes around with everyone saying when she gave birth to my older sister, God used a very specific cookie cutter mold. Then when she gave birth to me, He absolutely disregarded that mold and created a completely new one. And lastly, when she gave birth to my younger sister, God used the same mold as He did for my older sister.

With all that being said, I am very different from both of my sisters, and the main difference is how independent I have been my entire life. My parents like to say that they always had two children and three adults in the house, the three adults being them and myself. I have always prided myself in being self-reliant and able to solve problems. However, sometimes that doesn’t work in my favor.

I got the amazing opportunity to present my exercise science research at the ACSM Southeast Conference in Greenville, South Carolina. My project compared the ankle and hip range of motion, strength, and muscular electromyography of athletes who have experienced lower extremity injuries and those who have not while playing collegiate sports. I completed my research under my Biomechanics professor at Lander University and was fortunate enough to be able to use the amazing biomechanics lab equipment.

The morning of the conference I was extremely nervous about presenting. I walked through the doors of the giant hotel and immediately felt so many eyes on me. One of the first things I noticed was how many large groups of students there were from Ivy League schools and mega-universities, with their matching t-shirts and hoodies.

I found my way to the check-in counter to get my nametag, and it unsurprisingly came with a “first time presenter” sticker, which theoretically should have made me feel excited, but in reality just made me feel even more out of place. I was alone and felt as though I didn’t belong walking around the tables and through the groups of students, sensing each one stop to stare at me.

Even though the majority of the audience were students and professors, the conference was open to the public for a fee as well. When my professor asked me if I was going to invite my parents to watch me present or not, I immediately shut the idea down.

The idea of presenting at one of the most well-known exercise science conferences where students from around the nation come and present their research was already so intimidating that I couldn’t imagine having to worry about my parents on top of everything else as well.

I am very much a creature of habit and do not like to be in new situations where I am unaware of my surroundings. I much rather fight through environments I am unaccustomed to by myself, because if not I try to compensate for others and begin to focus on their comfort as much as my own.

My presentation ended up going extremely well despite all the anxious feelings I had prior to it, and I met so many amazing professionals in the field. I do have to admit that it would have been so nice to see my parents’ familiar faces in the crowd while showcasing my project. It would have reminded me how they have always encouraged me to walk into every new room and opportunity with my head held high. They have taught me to believe in the hard work and dedication I put into everything I accomplish and that I deserve to be there just as much as everybody else.

The unspoken social hierarchical culture of big versus little schools, Ivy League versus public schools, D1 versus D2 or D3 schools does not matter when it comes to the hard work you are willing to put in and the drive that should be enough to prove to yourself that you belong. I wish that I would have given myself the opportunity to be reminded of that once again.

My parents had such high standards for me growing up when it came to my education, and because of that I never wanted to let them down. This thought process coupled with my independent mindset, steered me in the direction of working hard behind the scenes and never really showcasing the things I was accomplishing.

The act of completing my goals, working hard for myself, and reaching my personal standards has always been the fulfillment I needed. I have never wanted to rely on the pride of others to feel accomplished. In some ways this mindset has allowed me to grow very mentally strong and prepared me for the setbacks I have faced. However, in other ways it has also taken away the opportunity from my loved ones to support me and show up for me. Just like it did for my parents when I presented my research.

My sisters and I have all moved out of the house and this is the first year that my parents are “empty nesters.” It is hard to believe that we all don’t live together anymore and are beginning a new chapter of each of our lives.

I reflected on this a lot after the conference and how it is my senior year of college as well. I have experienced or am about to experience a lot of my “lasts,” whether it is my last college soccer game or my last day of classes. These moments are extremely important milestones for me, but they are arguably even more important for my parents.

I have to remind myself that it is not burdening my parents to let them celebrate their daughter’s accomplishments and show up for me in the ways they know how. I regret not inviting them to come see me present at the conference and display all the hard work and countless hours that I dedicated to my project.

Being so independent leads me to feel as though I have to get through everything on my own- good or bad- and that is not the case. I have a lot of big moments coming up and I am going to try my best to include them in everything and remember that they have dedicated their whole lives to me and deserve the chance to show their love and support.

I am grateful that the conference not only gave me the opportunity to be in an environment with exercise science professionals and expand my knowledge and experience in the field, but also reminded me that life is short and we need to share our experiences and depend on those around us.

Katherine Blain is a student-athlete at Lander University studying Exercise Science with an emphasis in Occupational Therapy. She conducted research in the field of exercise science and presented her project in February of 2025 at the ACSM Southeast Conference in Greenville, SC. Following graduation in spring of 2026, she plans to apply to graduate school to earn her doctorate in Occupational therapy and become a pediatric Occupational therapist.