Hi, I’m Catherine Choquette! I don’t usually quite know what to say when someone says, “Tell me about yourself.” But I am going to do my best here for the sake of those who might not know me in real life. And even if you have known me for a long time, I have been growing so much over the last year that you probably need an update.
What am I doing right now?
I’m 22 years old, rapidly approaching the end of my senior year at the State University of New York at Oswego. I am majoring in Creative Writing and Marketing, both of which I find super interesting. However, if you ask me what I want to do with that, I will either give you the generic “writing for advertising” answer or tell you that I don’t know (if I know you won’t judge me). I also work part-time at McDonald’s and still love it way too much…
What do I do in my free time?
A big part of my life is figure skating, which I have been doing for about a decade now! I love being out on the ice, focusing on bettering myself, free from the worries of everyday life. I am on a synchronized skating team at my college, through which I have made so many amazing friendships and somehow went from the weakest link to a leader that others can look up to.
I am also an outdoor enthusiast. Camping is my jam, which I’m hoping will prepare me well for the months I’ll be sleeping in a tent on the Race. I climb mountains for fun, believe it or not, and I am an Adirondack 46er. That means I’ve climbed all 46 of the high peaks in the Adirondacks in New York State. If bugs weren’t a thing, I’d definitely just sit outside for hours.
I am so blessed to have such a great community at my college! I have made so many lifelong friends through BASIC (Brothers and Sisters in Christ), with whom I sometimes stay up until 5am talking to. Additionally, I enjoy serving on the leadership team and worship team. So even though I have “free time” sometimes, I don’t really, because I am always busy doing something.
What are some fun random facts about me?
– My Hogwarts House is Ravenclaw
– My Enneagram is 4
– My current Myers Briggs is INFP (but it changes all the time so…)
– I am reading the Bible backwards (not completely, I’m still reading the chapters in order, but I started in Revelation and now I’m in Joshua)
– My favorite Disney princess is Belle
– I spent a month this summer on a missions trip in Peru!
– I’m always in the mood for a McDonald’s iced coffee
– I am a strong proponent of naps
– The only sports team I care about is the Boston Red Sox
– I almost got eaten by a bear 1 and a half times
How have I grown over the past year?
When I say I’m a completely different person than a year ago, I’m not kidding.
1. I have learned to not be concerned with what other people think about me. That was a tough lesson to learn since obviously, I want people to like me, but ultimately I need to do what is best for me when it comes to my own life. I have stopped looking to my friends and family for approval. Sure, there’s nothing wrong with getting advice, but I’ve learned to be okay when I don’t find the support I’m looking for.
2. I have learned how to follow God wholeheartedly. I feel like I can’t stop saying yes to God. I’ve ended a relationship, told a difficult part of my testimony to like 40 people at once, went to Peru, and applied to go on the World Race. All of which have taken place in the last six months. My reaction time might still be slow, but I align my will with God’s every time. So far I’ve had zero regrets, so there’s no reason for me to slow down now.
3. I have grown in my intimacy with God. I went so many years without actually crying for real that once I did, it flowed out like a broken dam. I have spent time consistently pouring my heart out to God like never before, like I haven’t been able to before. Once I parked my car in an empty parking lot on campus and just cried for about an hour. But it was a good cry! Because God was comforting me, listening to every word I had to say.
4. I have realized that everyone’s life shouldn’t look the same. This may sound obvious, but most people have an ideal picture of how their life should turn out. You graduate college, get an amazing job, get married, have kids, etc. It may be different for different people at different ages, but we’ve all have a picture of what an ideal life looks like. The thing is, no one on this earth has a “dream life.” We all have different plans and purposes to fulfill, so I’ve been seeking out mine.
5. I have kicked fear to the curb. I only recently realized that fear has been such an enormous root in my life that God is gently trying to help me rip out. I’ve let fear hold me back far too many times. But I’ve gotten a lot better at identifying it and stopping it in its tracks. Fear may have been a huge part of my past, but I refuse to let it be a part of my future.
There’s probably more, but that’s all that’s coming to mind right now… Subscribe to my blog to find out more about me and my crazy life as this journey continues!
