Navigating a New Niche

Photos by Wemi Babalola ’28

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Carol Tang ’28

Has the question “What’s your main sport?” ever thrown you off balance at the beginning of the school year? Or is there any specific role (e.g., dancer, soccer player, actor) that you always identify and introduce yourself as when you first met people at NMH? The majority of the NMH student population possesses at least one ‘niche’ that represents them. For instance, some students may be seen as the ‘Theater kids’, or others might be recognized as the ‘Wrestling gang’. However, there can be times when we are bewildered and lost about what we are actually passionate about, especially when there is a major change in our lives. With a new school year underway and several new members joining our NMH community, the perplexing situation of having to rearrange your niches in the new environment emerges. Many returning students, including myself, have either gone through this dilemma before or are still encountering it.

As a normal conversation begins between an RL and her student peer, just checking in with school, I brought up an itch of mine that I could not scratch to Anna Lazorina’26. I have been getting lost in my passion for dance alongside the shift of a new school year and new people coming in. To comfort me, Lazorina told me about a similar situation that happened during her freshman year. 

“I did have a very strong niche before I came here, which was dance, specifically ballet, that I've been doing for my whole life back at home,” she said. “I think I started when I was three, and I'm eighteen. So it was a pretty big part of me.” She then portrayed how she “constantly compares the dance company here with my dance theater back at home,” since it varied in the dance styles and the way they were taught. “There were so many great things about the dance company here, but it's just a comparison. It was a bit painful for me,” she added. “ I didn't even get homesick my freshman year, but I was dance sick.” Lazorina’s dream of dancing didn’t really turn out to be what she was expecting, which then paved her further decision of wanting to step out and try new things. 

Moving on to the heart of the matter: how did Lazorina smoothly step out of her comfort zone? “ (My niche) started fading, and I just realized that I wasn't happy, because instead of focusing on what was good, I was just focusing on what was different,” she said. “And it just kind of held me back. And so I decided that it's time to maybe expand my comfort zone.” This led Anna to join the third basketball team in the winter, try lacrosse in the spring, and play field hockey in the fall.  “So I found new people. I've met new coaches, and it was just easier and helped me to move on from my past in a way.”  But on the other hand, Lazorina said she never truly moved on. “Whenever I go home, I always go to the theater,” she added. It is her continuous passion for dance that motivated her visits to the theater. 

During the family day performance, the giants entered onto the stage holding drumsticks in their hands, ready to perform a full series of astounding percussion music. Not only did the pulse created by their strong strikes amaze me, but I realized that the whole varsity basketball team had joined the percussion ensemble together. This scene made me curious about why the basketball team had taken up this hobby, so I talked to Will Higgs ’26, one of the basketball players.. “Since I started playing when I was 13, I've been every single day, all day, every day.” Basketball had “controlled a lot” of his life in ways such as having to transfer schools five times. 

However, last year, Will tore his ACL, which led to a halt in his basketball journey. This huge change in his life gave him the opportunity to explore new ways to spend his time and challenge his mind. “One of the ways I did that was I started teaching myself how to play piano with one of my friends' help,” he said.“And I got in touch with a lot of people in the music department, Smitty (a faculty member who works in the music department) included.” Initially, it was really hard to transition since he “had invested so much” into the game. But the disruption of basketball forced him into a deeper level of self-reflection. “ I had to take a look in the mirror and say, well, who am I, aside from, you know, an orange basketball running up and down the court,” he said. But then, once he started “paying attention to the rest of” himself and who he was, it got a lot easier. In fact, he rejoiced that he had to go through this tough process since it contributed to his personal growth of being more secure in who he is as a whole. Will had also emphasized the support of his friends as well as the support of faculty members in helping him branch out of his comfort zone and interests. 

It is a normal response to reject unfamiliar transformations, but it is so important to learn to accept them and grow with them. Yet our niches can always provide comfort in the face of uncertainty. There are many ways to approach exploring new interests and seeking a new niche. You could start by talking to people, whether they are new or returning, or even your friends, and ask them about their interests and what they pursue at NMH. It is a great opportunity to reconsider and reflect on what excites you outside your regular circle, which also helps you gain a better sense of personal identity, too. There are so many benefits of finding a new niche, including branching out to people and establishing friendships while acquiring a skill for personal growth. Always remember, you are not alone in this huge NMH community; there are always people who you can reach out to and gain support from!

Illustrations by Kimberly Chen ’26