My name is Alex Rashid. I am from Lodi, Wisconsin where I was born and raised. I graduated from Lodi High School in 2022. My freshman year I attended St. John’s University in Minnesota, after my freshman year I decided St. Johns was not the right fit for me. I then transferred here, to The University of Dubuque to play a year of football with my older brother Ben Rashid. Making this transition to the University of Dubuque was not only difficult mentally because I was leaving my close friends I had at St. Johns, but my grandfather also passed away during the summer I was transferring here. This was difficult mentally because transferring to a new school I felt like I had nobody I could talk to about my emotions. I struggled with depression which is something I never thought I would deal with in my life. I struggled getting out of bed each and every morning, I felt as if I had a mental fog constantly. I did not want to have interactions with teammates, keeping earbuds in between classes. During this time, I felt like I should hang up the cleats and drop out of school. It wasn’t until I met a few close friends who I was able to share my emotions with, and who truly cared about me and were constantly checking up on me that allowed me to get out of the constant mental fog that I was in. Mental health is something more student-athletes deal with than I ever would have realized. These friends inspired me to be the friend who is always checking in on people and making sure they are doing well mentally. I am beyond grateful for finding a home away from home at the University of Dubuque, surrounded by people I consider my family.
