What team did you play on, and what years? What position?
Cross Country for 1 year, but I held no important positions.
What was your favorite memory, or memories, as a part of this team?
My favorite memories were definitely the Pasta party and the fact that I cut down my time from last summer to this Fall by 16ish minutes and got an award for being the most improved runner.
What was the biggest challenge you faced, if any?
The management between being a student and a team player. Each day, I would come home from fatigue and I would struggle to do assignments. I knew it was gonna be difficult, but I now respect student athletes even more. Another one I will say is to just stop contemplating about life and my realistic, yet cynical outlook on things and just do it, especially when it came to studying, since I never studied properly before. I always told myself don´t think, just do- but I still never started the things I had planned for in the beginning- it is like Seneca said ¨we often suffer more in imagination than in reality¨- seeing this, I decided to just take more action after making a plan and than fixing things along the way, basically trust the process. My final challenge would also be discernment of good pain and bad pain, since I don´t wish to hold myself back by pushing through an injury, however I want to test my limits and break through them- which led me to not trying to see how far I can really push myself.
What is something that surprised you about your time on the team?
I made 2nd place in a 3k for my first year of Cross Country and I didn´t expect a shout out from the school about that accomplishment and that Cross Country is all about endurance, mainly mental.
What lesson or mindset will you bring with you into your future after being a part of this team?
If I am going to perform properly, I need a better diet and to remove things like screen time before bed and other things that only tampers with my health. Along with learning how to cheer for others more, since I am so used to never receiving compliments that I forget that most people are not as undisturbed as I am and some might need others to encourage/inspire them to keep pushing on through any hardship.
