Photo courtesy of Amanda Phillips
Blevins poses for media day.
Maya Blevins is a fourth-year psychology and environmental science student. She is working in two labs this semester, one for each major, with Professor of Psychology and Environmental Studies Cindy Frantz and Assistant Professor of Psychology Christine S. Wu. Blevins is also a peer advising leader, public relations officer for the Student Athlete Advisory Committee and a member of the women’s soccer and lacrosse teams.
Blevins has been a member of the women’s soccer leadership committee, which consists of six other members, for two years. When women’s soccer head coach Taylor Houck joined the team, Houck converted the captain system to a leadership committee system. The main goals of the committee are to uphold the team values that represent the expression “OC Love”; lead by example; and support your teammates. They also help energize the team so they can focus on excelling in conference play and reaching the North Coast Atlantic Conference tournament.
“It worked so well for our team,” Blevins said. “I feel like having all the leaders in the leadership group with different strengths and personalities works really well and bonds the team in a really great way. I am so grateful to have the other leaders. For captains, it can only be one or two people [leading]and I think it’s great that we have a great group of leaders.”
Although Blevins is currently injured, she is confident in the team’s abilities this season. She is also grateful to those who stepped in in her absence and helped replace the presence of former team leader Camille Franklin, OC ’23.
“Honestly, I’ve been so impressed with all of my teammates so far,” Blevins said. “I think we look really good. To be honest, this is the best team since I’ve been here. We only lost one person last year and brought in three new players. The transition and playing together went really smoothly this year. The new players fit perfectly into our team and I’m really looking forward to this season. I am self-confident [that] With this team, we can not only make it to the tournament, but we can also win the whole thing!”
In addition to soccer, Blevins joined the lacrosse team her freshman year and has been a part of the team ever since. People often ask her about the similarities and differences between soccer and lacrosse. She claims that there is a lot of overlap in the fitness and strategy of both sports and the differences are mainly due to the personalities of the team, which she appreciates.
“I’m very lucky that my teammates automatically have 40 family members, and it’s fun to see how that dynamic affects the different people on my team,” she said.
A difficult decision Blevins had to make was to forego her third season of lacrosse and go overseas to Auckland, New Zealand, where she lived for seven months. Her teammates have been supportive and understanding of her decision, for which she is extremely grateful. Blevins would watch all of the team’s live streams of games, even with the 16-hour time difference.
While abroad, her university offered unique courses, including a Pacific Studies course, which she took along with an introductory photography course. Blevins was a big fan of New Zealand cuisine, such as cheese and garlic scones, butter chicken pot pie and coffee – as dairy is the country’s largest export.
“I’ve always wanted to go to New Zealand since I was really little,” she said. “Growing up, I attended an overnight summer camp for two weeks every year. I’ve had lots of New Zealand advisors and they’ve always been so funny and nice. So I think even as a child I had a good impression as I got older. I really liked New Zealand’s response to COVID-19, its connection to nature and its relationship with its environment – that really appealed to me. I’m also, of course, a Lord of the Rings fan.”
The Lord of the Rings trilogy was filmed in the North and South Islands of New Zealand. When asked about her favorite character, she immediately answered Legolas.
While abroad, Blevins had the opportunity to participate in outdoor experiences. This also includes riding upside down on the Nevis Swing – the largest swing in the world. The swing hangs over a ravine and has an arch of 300 meters. During her spring break, she traveled around New Zealand and lived in a car with friends for two and a half weeks. She also traveled to Australia, visiting Sydney, Cairns, Brisbane and the Gold Coast. While in Australia she had the opportunity to scuba dive in the Great Barrier Reef.
Most importantly, studying abroad changed Blevins’ understanding of the world and different cultures.
“It may sound like a cliché to say this after studying abroad, but I believe my global view of the world has completely changed,” Blevins said. “It’s one thing to learn about it and quite another to live there and really immerse yourself in something new. Seeing how other people see the world… is so valuable.”
As a student, it can be a big step to live alone for more than six months. However, Blevins felt that she was growing from taking care of herself and being alone in a new place.
“I feel like I have newfound confidence that I can go and live in a new place, build my own support system and create my own schedule,” she said. “Traveling requires a lot of planning. I wasn’t able to do as much self-organized travel.”
To stay active, Blevins joined Auckland Central United, a soccer club in the city that plays against other local club teams. Since lacrosse isn’t that big in New Zealand, her playing lacrosse was limited to practice only. One of Blevins’ highlights was participating in the interfaculty futsal tournament at her university abroad, where the teams consisted of students from all grades. Her team, the Science Spartans, won the tournament and dominated the final 3-1. A soccer fan, Blevins also witnessed two World Cup matches, one between New Zealand and Norway and the other between Vietnam and the United States.
Back in Oberlin, Blevins is looking forward to the coming year.
“I’m looking forward to getting the most out of mine [fourth-year]“I’m really trying to stay present in the moment and enjoy the company of all the good people I’ve met here,” Blevins said.
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