April 8, 2013
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By Hamish Reed
UCFAthletics.com
ORLANDO, Fla. (UCFAthletics.com) - Going away to college is an emotional experience for most families and students. Going away to college in a different country - almost 1,500 miles away from home - is an even different experience and comes with its own set of unique challenges.
However, that's exactly what native Canadian Robyn Doig did when she enrolled at UCF back in 2011. A sophomore from Seaforth, Ontario, Doig chose to move from a town of 4,000 people to a school with 60,000 students to compete for the UCF's women's golf team.
"Coming here was a big transition, but I love it," Doig said. "I didn't want to go somewhere small, where there are only a few people around. There's so much opportunity (at UCF) and I love it. I love getting to play golf year round and travel."
For most college students such a big transition would be difficult to endure but Doig said she has a great support system in her teammates and the Knights' coaching staff.
"I was familiar with Florida, since my grandparents have a place down here for the winter," Doig said. "I had come to check out UCF a few times on my own. But the overall the change (of going to college) is huge - something you can't really prepare someone for, and something that I can't even really describe. It's very different from what I'm used to. But the way the coaches and everyone treated me on my visit, everything was warming and I love it here. It felt like I could be at home. It really feels like a family."
Family has always been important to Doig and although she is thousands of miles away from her own, she has found a different kind of family here at UCF.
"My most pleasurable experiences at UCF have to be being part of the athletic family," she said. "It's fun and living in (Towers at Knights Plaza) with the other athletes is cool."
Doig has experienced many exciting moments with her Knights family. In particular, the travel that she takes part in with the team has been eye-opening for her. So far this season, she has visited North and South Carolina, Chicago and Las Vegas.
"Getting to play all year and travel everywhere is just a new experience," Doig said. "I hadn't really gotten the chance to travel before I came here, so getting to visit different places is great."
This story appears in the February issue of Knights Insider magazine. The publication, which is published six times per year, provides an inside look at UCF student-athletes, coaches and alums. To order the magazine,