In the world we live in today, nothing is safe nor secure. It’s scary to think that in a matter of seconds you can look up something on the Internet and get the answer in the blink of an eye. In the same amount of time your future and opportunities can be changed and doors can be closed.

I would have never thought this would happen. And by that I mean, the thought had never crossed my mind. I would have never thought that I’d lose a big opportunity to something so small as Twitter.

I’ve been playing soccer since I was 4. Ever since I was little I wanted to play college soccer. As I got older I still wanted to pursue my dreams of being a college athlete; playing at a high level for hours on hours. I’ve been looking at colleges most of my high school career. But this year is my junior year, the biggest year for recruiting athletes.

Living in today’s time, 2014, practically everyone uses social media. Yes, I myself, guilty as charged. I have had a Twitter account for about a year and a half now. I have about 500 followers, some include parents of my classmates, other adults, and even a few football coaches from my school. I’m not too much of a tweeter; I’m more of a favorite, retweet kinda person. Twitter was just another app I thought. Something I use to pass the time in the car, or fidget with while in class. I never thought it could be so lethal.

Last December I received an email from a soccer coach in Arkansas. That itself got me excited, my sister and my best friend go to college up there. The more I looked into it, my interest in the school grew. Ends up my aunt and uncle attended that same university a few years back. It was a smaller private Christian college, only 30 minutes away from my sister in Fayettevile.

As an athlete you learn to not get your hopes up, most of the emails I’ve got were chain messages coaches would send to anyone who wrote them. But this one was different, I didn’t contact her, she saw me at one of my showcases. Her email was in depth about herself, the team, and the school. After a few emails back and forth I get a call. She invited me to the campus for a tour and the opportunity to train with the team.

I went on the visit a couple weeks ago. I absolutely loved the campus. The soccer girls were more like a family, and most of all I loved the culture of the team. I’ve never been so surprised by the love and passion in a group of people. It was obvious that on that team god came first, the team came second, and they themselves came last. As I got to hangout with the team I realized this is what I want. To play soccer and to attend a Christian college. I’d get to build my relationship with god, play soccer, and get my degree. I wanted this college.

At the end of the visit I had the opportunity to train with the team. This had been my first experience with college soccer. I’ve never been so nervous. But as it went on, the girls really helped me out and were very encouraging. I ended the practice on a high note and was able to walk away with a smile on my face and satisfaction in my heart.

Less then a week after the tryout I received a call from the coach. I answered the phone with a smile and hung-up in tears. That 8-minute phone call changed everything. The coach informed me that she had done some research on me and came across my Twitter account. She told me that the things I did on social media and the things I was involved in and interacted in did not meet the expectations of the school. She said the way my Twitter account portrayed myself was not what they want on their soccer team. She told me I was a great player, but she just doesn’t think this school is right for me. Yes, all that was hard to hear, but the hardest thing I had to listen too was “If it wasn’t for your Twitter, we would be having a whole different conversation.”

I get it, my Twitter might not have been completely appropriate and I should have been more cautious to what I posted online. But knowing a school doesn’t want me because of my social media activity is a hard pill to swallow. I know I’m not the person someone might infer I am from my social network. And the fact that I won’t get the chance to show them is just unforgiving. I fell in love with that school. I had my mind set, I was going to work harder for that than I have worked for anything in my whole life. I was going to do whatever it took to make it happen. But now I don’t even get a chance; all because I’m an immature teenager trying to make myself look cooler for people on social media.

I’ve always had people telling me to be careful what I post online because it never goes away. I never put too much thought into it. I never thought it would actually affect me. Now I understand. Due to technology, we are going to be judged and looked at differently for the rest of our lives. It’s sad that now people don’t get the same opportunities all because of an online profile; that before someone meets and gets to know you they have already judged you and have their minds made up. I know for a fact that if someone got to know me they would know the truth, but the way I have presented myself has ruined my chances. I am the only one to blame for this problem. No one made me create a Twitter, or be involved in the things I am.

I always seem to have to learn lessons the hard way. Maybe it will help me later on, who knows? But I beg everyone out there with an active form of social media to be aware of the consequences that follow when using such things.