Ebony Nwanebu graduated from the University of Texas last month. In her three years at UT, Nwanbeu was named an All-American twice. Before coming to Austin, Nwanebu was the 2013 national freshman of the year and a first-team All-American at USC.

But when she reflected on her college career and life leading up to it, it wasn't her on-court accomplishments that garnered the most attention. 

Here is Ebony's letter to younger herself, sharing what she wish she knew then.

Dear Ebony,

Be still. 

It’s something that your volleyball coaches will tell you throughout your career.

“Ebony, stop moving your feet.” 

“Ebony, stop switching your hair.” 

“Ebony, just be still.” 

You’ll start playing volleyball at age 5. Bouncy and jittery. This is the third and last sport you'll play. (Well, you’ll try out for your middle school basketball team but quit after the first day.) You’ll want to quit volleyball exactly 12 times in your life, but hear the word “no” from your mom every time. You’ll thank her for it. 

Put on your cute tiny shoes and your big turtle kneepads and be still.

Life comes at you fast, and as you grow up it only gets faster. People will look at you and see a shy girl, physically gifted, with potential. You’ll have puffy hair and braces and be incredibly awkward and clumsy (you never grow out of that, by the way). As the years go on, you’ll find your way. Prove people wrong. 

But some days you’ll cry on your way to practice, dreading the next two hours you’ll spend in a stale gym instead of going to Raven’s birthday party. Some days you'll want to throw up, pass out, and think you’re going to die from running suicides, miles, 300s, and stadiums, and you may throw up and possibly pass out — but you won’t die. You’ll survive this, and in half an hour or so you’ll lay on the floor panting, dripping in sweat, but it will be over, and you’ll be better for it. 

Oh, and don’t eat pizza rolls before conditioning, cause that does not turn out well for anyone. 

Suffer through it and be still. 

There will come a point in your life — many points in your life, actually — where you’ll question who you are as a player, as a person. You’ll be cocky, you’ll have all the self-confidence in the world. Humble yourself. You’ll watch someone better than you and sometimes you’ll want to quit cause you think you suck. You don’t suck; I promise. It’s all in your head. You’ll encounter many great players in your life. Learn from them, get to know them, because some will become your best friends. Believe in yourself. 

Take a deep breath and be still.

You’ll come to an age when everyone is deciding where they want to go to college. It’s a big decision and incredibly stressful one for any 15-year-old to make. You’ll call 28 schools, visit three, commit to one. But the one you’ll eventually graduate from isn't one of the ones that you called, visited, or started at. So take your time, don’t rush the process, and never let anyone tell you that you have to do something, because you always have a choice. Be young now, go to prom, focus on grades and passing your drivers test. 

You have more time than you think — be still.

Once you go to college, you’ll face a lot of adversity. It’s a whole new world that brings about an abundance of freedom. You’ll learn who you are here, find out who you were meant to become. You’ll question everything, but with that will come answers that you’ll carry with you for the rest of your life. 

Volleyball, you realize, is a sport you play, not something you are, and with this knowledge you will learn to breathe. 

You will finally learn what it means to be still.

In volleyball, being still means to stop moving your feet, which you still haven't yet learned to do. Off the court, being still means just enjoying the process. Everything that happens in your life points you to where you're meant to be. Being still is the process of being calm, unmoving, silent. So be all these things, because God will move you the way He has planned.

Life has its ups and downs. You’ll win big games and you’ll lose championships. Amazing friendships will be formed throughout the years that will last for a lifetime. The memories that you make, good or bad, you won't want to change. You’re going to look back and smile because they made you who you are.

You won’t learn how to pass until college, and your blocking skills could use some work, too, but that’s okay, because even at the age of 22 you still haven’t reached your ceiling. 

Be still, Ebony. Quiet your mind and relax in the silence. 

Things that are meant to happen will happen and they won’t always be in your control. 

So be still, and just play the game you love.

Ebony