How NOLA Built Me – By Jessica Duckett
Aug 10, 2018 | Track & Field, WE ARE
I broke my foot in my junior year of high school. Suddenly I couldn't compete. And junior year is when colleges start contacting you heavily to recruit you.
That made for a very stressful recruiting process.
Many universities said they would have to wait and see how I performed as a senior. But I knew where I was wanted. Tulane contacted me that year, and I was very excited. I didn't even know where Tulane was. But I took my official visit, enjoyed it, committed on the spot, and went home stress-free.
I knew I wanted to attend a school that wasn't too large because I didn't want to get swallowed up by the campus. Tulane fits that mold perfectly. I also wanted to go to college far enough away from Houston but not so far that my parents couldn't visit easily. New Orleans, just five hours away by car, fit that bill as well.
Since coming to Tulane, I've only gotten more mature. I think back to my very first practice where we did a drill called 20-20s. In that drill, you run 20 100-meter sprints with just 20 seconds of rest in between. I've never cried during a practice or quit a practice until that day. Three years later, I'm a better athlete and a stronger person who completes that drill without a problem.
Compared to when I was a freshman, I tend to try to look at things on the bright side. I go into practice and meets with a different mindset. As a freshman I was more scared than anything. I was out there with seniors. But now my confidence has improved. I know that if I faith in myself, the result will come. And Tulane has been a huge part of that maturing process.
I like how small the campus is here. It allows me to get to know a lot of people, Classes are small, too, and I like how I get to be really connected with the teachers. The whole atmosphere at Tulane is great.
Another huge plus of Tulane are my teammates. They're the closest friends I have here. I'm going to miss them after my senior year. But this is the most chemistry I've had with teammates. Everyone meshes well.
As for the city, New Orleans is great because there's always something to do. With the different festivals in the city, my cousins will call me and tell me about them so we can enjoy the weekend. My local family always has something going on, too. I love to eat some New Orleans food as well. While I'm not big on sweets like beignets or snowballs, I really enjoy the shrimp etouffee at Neyow's.
During my time here, I've gotten to experience Mardi Gras from the street and from a float. Last year, I rolled with Elks on Mardi Gras day, throwing beads to people in the streets. That was an incredible New Orleans experience.
It's going to be tough to leave New Orleans and finish my time at Tulane. But I know that with a Tulane degree, if I can make it out of here, I can get through anything.
My name is Jessica Duckett, and I'm Nola Built.
That made for a very stressful recruiting process.
Many universities said they would have to wait and see how I performed as a senior. But I knew where I was wanted. Tulane contacted me that year, and I was very excited. I didn't even know where Tulane was. But I took my official visit, enjoyed it, committed on the spot, and went home stress-free.
I knew I wanted to attend a school that wasn't too large because I didn't want to get swallowed up by the campus. Tulane fits that mold perfectly. I also wanted to go to college far enough away from Houston but not so far that my parents couldn't visit easily. New Orleans, just five hours away by car, fit that bill as well.
Since coming to Tulane, I've only gotten more mature. I think back to my very first practice where we did a drill called 20-20s. In that drill, you run 20 100-meter sprints with just 20 seconds of rest in between. I've never cried during a practice or quit a practice until that day. Three years later, I'm a better athlete and a stronger person who completes that drill without a problem.
Compared to when I was a freshman, I tend to try to look at things on the bright side. I go into practice and meets with a different mindset. As a freshman I was more scared than anything. I was out there with seniors. But now my confidence has improved. I know that if I faith in myself, the result will come. And Tulane has been a huge part of that maturing process.
I like how small the campus is here. It allows me to get to know a lot of people, Classes are small, too, and I like how I get to be really connected with the teachers. The whole atmosphere at Tulane is great.
Another huge plus of Tulane are my teammates. They're the closest friends I have here. I'm going to miss them after my senior year. But this is the most chemistry I've had with teammates. Everyone meshes well.
As for the city, New Orleans is great because there's always something to do. With the different festivals in the city, my cousins will call me and tell me about them so we can enjoy the weekend. My local family always has something going on, too. I love to eat some New Orleans food as well. While I'm not big on sweets like beignets or snowballs, I really enjoy the shrimp etouffee at Neyow's.
During my time here, I've gotten to experience Mardi Gras from the street and from a float. Last year, I rolled with Elks on Mardi Gras day, throwing beads to people in the streets. That was an incredible New Orleans experience.
It's going to be tough to leave New Orleans and finish my time at Tulane. But I know that with a Tulane degree, if I can make it out of here, I can get through anything.
My name is Jessica Duckett, and I'm Nola Built.
Players Mentioned
Sprints/Hurdles
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