Although I have not played tennis my entire life like many of my teammates have, I have grown to love the sport and have learned some valuable life skills from the sport. Being that I have only played for about 4 years now, I have only played doubles. Doubles, I have learned, takes a lot of patience and understanding as an individual and as a partner. One may not know what their partner is going through at the time or does not fully understand what it takes to be in a partnership. I have personally learned that before I get upset, or irritated because of a match point or losing against a rival team simply just being able to play with my friends in my last few years of youth is truly special and holds more value than any win. I have learned that creating bonds with a partner is super special and can carry on outside of one year of play. This has shaped my future because often when we get mixed up with the stressful days in life we take what we already have for granted. However, when we can take a step back and remember all that we have to be grateful for, we can be at peace and reassure ourselves that this one thing we are stressed or upset about is just a small hiccup that can be pursued. There is more to one's life than that one event, person, or feeling. Hobbies such as tennis can carry on with us until older age, which is one of many beautiful things about the sport. One can play it only a couple of years after learning how to walk until they are getting slower on their feet with old age. Before I started playing tennis, I played volleyball for our school. Every time I stepped onto the court I would feel severe performance anxiety and nausea. As much as I loved the sport that I played my entire life, it began to feel more stressful than fun. When I met the tennis coach and started going out to the open court practices, I never felt the feeling I had with volleyball. I simply felt happy to be apart of something new and enjoyable. Furthermore, when I step on to the tennis courts, whether it is just to play for fun with my friends or family, there is a sense of relief, I came to play and not be focused on anything else but having fun with those I love.