--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: For two months after Christmas vacation…" description: "\"For two months after Christmas vacation we limped around campus with muscles too tigh and sore to walk properly, yet we had no good idea of our goal. W..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f20/stefan-kieszling-34248_campus_for-two-months-after-christmas-vacation_1883345.jpg" --- # For two months after Christmas vacation we limped around… ![“For two months after Christmas vacation we limped around campus with muscles too tigh and sore to walk properly, yet we had no good idea of our goal. Without knowing what a real race was like, I couldn't judge whether it was worth all the preparation, but having put in so much time already, how…” quote by Stefan Kieszling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f20/stefan-kieszling-34248_campus_for-two-months-after-christmas-vacation_1883345.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f20/stefan-kieszling-34248_campus_for-two-months-after-christmas-vacation_1883345.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f20/stefan-kieszling-34248_campus_for-two-months-after-christmas-vacation_1883345.jpg) > “For two months after Christmas vacation we limped around campus with muscles too tigh and sore to walk properly, yet we had no good idea of our goal. Without knowing what a real race was like, I couldn't judge whether it was worth all the preparation, but having put in so much time already, how could we back out? Quite a few Freshman did manage to back out. After Christmas several, when freed from faily practice, decided that they liked not feeling tired all the time. Most of them vanished without a word.” [Stefan Kieszling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-kieszling/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The passage reflects uncertainty and commitment despite unclear goals, highlighting peer pressure and perseverance in a demanding environment. **In simple terms:** Unclear goals, yet commitment persists. Key Takeaway Stay focused despite uncertainty. Themes commitment uncertainty peer pressure perseverance college athletics Mood reflective determined Type narrative motivational When to use this quote - training periods - team sports - academic life - decision making Key Concepts motivation social dynamics goal setting Questions to Reflect On - What keeps you moving when goals are vague? - How does group dynamics affect personal resolve? A Different Perspective Motivation can wane without clear purpose. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Campus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campus/) [Campus Muscles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/campus-muscles-2675462/) [Christmas Vacation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/christmas-vacation-230310/) [Decided](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/decided/) [Feeling Tired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feeling-tired/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Freshman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freshman/) [Freshman Did](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freshman-did-2675463/) [Goal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goal/) [Good ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/good-ideas/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Judging](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/judging/) [Knowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knowing/) [Limped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limped-1436461/) [Limped Campus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/limped-campus-2675464/) [Manage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/manage/) [Months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/months/) [Muscles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/muscles/) [Practice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/practice/) [Preparation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/preparation/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Rowing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rowing/) [Tired](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tired/) [Two](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two/) [Two months](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/two-months/) [Vacation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vacation/) [Vacation Limped](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/vacation-limped-2675465/) [Walks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/walks/) ## Related quotes > [happened as I listened: I felt pain. Not in my head, not in my arm, not in my leg; everywhere at once. I told…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jennifer-egan/happened-as-i-listened-i-felt-pain-not-in-my-head-not-in-my-arm-not/) [Jennifer Egan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jennifer-egan/) > [“Her father was about to have a heart attack, and my memories of her are now tinged with a blue wash of misfortune that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeffrey-eugenides/her-father-was-about-to-have-a-heart-attack-and-my-memories-of-her/) [Jeffrey Eugenides](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeffrey-eugenides/) > [“I did wear those shoes to my wedding, and I ended up twisting my ankle on the way out of the synagogue. I limped…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabrielle-zevin/i-did-wear-those-shoes-to-my-wedding-and-i-ended-up-twisting-my-ankle/) [Gabrielle Zevin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabrielle-zevin/) > [“The bastard even limped fast.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rosemary-clement-moore/the-bastard-even-limped-fast/) [Rosemary Clement-Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rosemary-clement-moore/) > [“She limped, unaided around the house, like a bird with its wing broken. Tame, because it couldn’t fly away. All her time was taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joan-london/she-limped-unaided-around-the-house-like-a-bird-with-its-wing-broken/) [Joan London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joan-london/) > [Time passes, as the novelist says. The single most useful trick of fiction for our repair and refreshment: the defeat of time. A century…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-powers/time-passes-as-the-novelist-says-the-single-most-useful-trick-of/) [Richard Powers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-powers/) > [Actually, my mother and Alfie came for three weeks' Christmas vacation and stayed for 21 years. I guess my mother never went back because…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-mccourt/actually-my-mother-and-alfie-came-for-three-weeks-christmas-vacation/) [Frank McCourt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-mccourt/) > [“So…,” I began. Was it just a high school thing? Or worse, I imagined, is it just that I’m not and never will be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/so-i-began-was-it-just-a-high-school-thing-or-worse-i-imagined-is-it/) [Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/) > [“Mind if I ask you another question?” I said. “Go ahead,” he replied. I cleared my throat and sat up straight in my seat.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ree-drummond/mind-if-i-ask-you-another-question-i-said-go-ahead-he-replied-i/) [Ree Drummond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ree-drummond/) > [We had a house in Baga, Goa, that we would visit every Christmas vacation. It was called Love House. The toilet was outside the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karan-kapoor/we-had-a-house-in-baga-goa-that-we-would-visit-every-christmas/) [Karan Kapoor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karan-kapoor/) > [I used to know Jennifer Love Hewitt. We lived in the same apartment building when I was about... jeez, I guess it was when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-galecki/i-used-to-know-jennifer-love-hewitt-we-lived-in-the-same-apartment/) [Johnny Galecki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-galecki/) > [“gravity didn’t even exist. As if the thought of slipping off that narrow seat and plummeting to the ground never entered any of their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julie-ortolon/gravity-didn-t-even-exist-as-if-the-thought-of-slipping-off-that/) [Julie Ortolon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julie-ortolon/) > [“Sitting in the study hall he opened the lid of his desk and changed the number pasted up inside from seventy-seven to seventy-six. 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French oarswomen were known to take men aside, point to whatever they wanted, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-kieszling/trading-with-the-french-one-had-to-be-especially-careful-french/) [Stefan Kieszling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-kieszling/) > [Those of us who stayed were younger, more tractable. Less sure of ourselves socially and intellectually, we gave ourselves to the sport with little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-kieszling/those-of-us-who-stayed-were-younger-more-tractable-less-sure-of/) [Stefan Kieszling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-kieszling/) > [That morning each of us found a breaking point. Not only a physical barrier, but a point where determination, stamina and duty clashed and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-kieszling/that-morning-each-of-us-found-a-breaking-point-not-only-a-physical/) [Stefan Kieszling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-kieszling/) > [Once one has attained a high level of success at any pursuit and especially an unorthodox pursuit like rowing, one develops a number of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-kieszling/once-one-has-attained-a-high-level-of-success-at-any-pursuit-and/) [Stefan Kieszling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-kieszling/) > [I climbed on the rowing ergometer, and started to pull - losing myself in the rhythm of sweat and pain.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-kieszling/i-climbed-on-the-rowing-ergometer-and-started-to-pull-losing-myself/) [Stefan Kieszling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-kieszling/) > [As a competitor, winner or loser, one crosses the line into limbo. The adrenaline is gone, the anticipation is gone. The verdict is either…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-kieszling/as-a-competitor-winner-or-loser-one-crosses-the-line-into-limbo-the/) [Stefan Kieszling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-kieszling/) > [We shook hands. For a moment our eyes met - which I found surprisingly destabilizing. Then we pulled back and there was a mement…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-kieszling/we-shook-hands-for-a-moment-our-eyes-met-which-i-found-surprisingly/) [Stefan Kieszling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-kieszling/) > [Once one is beyond a certain level of commitment to the sport, life begins to seem an allegory of rowing rather than rowing an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-kieszling/once-one-is-beyond-a-certain-level-of-commitment-to-the-sport-life/) [Stefan Kieszling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-kieszling/) > [Although it takes a long warm-up for an eight to swing, on an erg such subtleties don't matter. For me the sound alone raised…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-kieszling/although-it-takes-a-long-warm-up-for-an-eight-to-swing-on-an-erg-such/) [Stefan Kieszling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-kieszling/) > [Being in shape was not my goal. My body was a tool to test the capabilities of my will.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stefan-kieszling/being-in-shape-was-not-my-goal-my-body-was-a-tool-to-test-the/) [Stefan Kieszling](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stefan-kieszling/) > [Hundreds of feet above us, cars whisked by, oblivious to our drama. 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