Q: Why did you choose the Tribe?
I chose William and Mary because it offered me an ideal combination of athletics and academics- it will allow me to get the full college experience and still give me a chance at going to medical school. I also thought that, of all of the schools that I was looking at, I fit in the best with the Tribe.
Q: Describe a moment when you felt the most Tribe pride...
Tribe swimming has a YouTube channel with videos documenting their lives as college athletes; when I watched the video of them competing at CAA’s, I really felt a connection to the team. That was when I realized that I wanted to be a part of that family.
Q: Take us through your pre-game mental preparation routine:
If I focus too much on my competition, I can easily psych myself out. Before every race, I listen to “Yeah!” by Usher on my iPod and then I talk and laugh with my teammates as much as possible before I swim to distract myself. I always race best when I am having fun with it; over the past year, I have tried to get back to the point where I am racing just for the love of competition.
Q: Do you belong to any other clubs, groups, or organizations?
I belong to a summer swim league, where I coach and swim.
Q: What are some community activities you or your team has done?
We participate in a toy lift at Christmas every year that provides gifts for underprivileged children in our area. In addition, I have worked with my dad at a local soup kitchen several times in the past (bagging and delivering groceries) and I have played piano at a local nursing home.
Q: What is your intended or declared major and why?
I want to complete the prerequisites for medicine, but I don’t have a set major yet. I have considered environmental science, because I think that in the next few years there is going to be a demand for people who are knowledgeable about renewable energy. But I am also interested in taking classes outside science so that I can find out what really interests me. I think it will be important to have a well-rounded education.
Q: Describe your dream job:
I would like to be an anesthesiologist.
Q: If you could play another sport at W&M what would it be and why?
I would play soccer, because I played for several years and loved the game.
Q: Favorite team tradition/activity and why?
Water polo! My summer team gets really into it- we have permanent groups and it is always an intense game. We play music and compete for about an hour and a half.
Q: Which teammate will have the most interesting job in 10 years and why?
I’m not sure- very few of my teammates have decided what they want to do for a career.
Q: What animal would best describe you and why?
A wolf. Wolves can function in packs or alone. I am similar to this in that I am very team-oriented and love swimming in large part because of my teammates. They are my best friends and have become a second family to me; we push each other in practice, encourage each other at meets, and have a blast together when we aren’t in the pool. But swimming can also feel like a very individual sport, and the wolf often travels alone.
Q: What is your favorite quote or phrase?
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
-Mark Twain
Q: What is your favorite type of food (i.e. Chinese, Mexican, etc.)?
Indian or Thai!
Q: Favorite place you have visited or traveled to and why?
I loved going out to Zion National Park in Utah. I had the opportunity to go canyoneering and loved the experience because it felt like a huge, natural playground. The landscape was gorgeous.
Q: If you could sit down for lunch with anyone in the world who would it be and why?
Mark James Owens- he wrote a book about his adventures with his wife in the Kalahari Desert called “Cry of the Kalahari.” They sold everything and moved to Africa to study an uncharted wilderness assumed by most to be too dangerous to live or work in. I think that their carpe diem approach to life, their attempt to meet their goals against all odds, and their sheer bravery were really neat. I would love to sit down and hear more about their adventures.
Q: Most addicting television show?
Chappelle’s Show!!
Q: How will you change the world (or even just one person’s world)?
I have yet to find that out; hopefully college will give me a better idea of the answer to that.
Q: Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know...
I love to sail- my dad taught me when I was little, and while I don’t live near water, I get the chance to do it every once in a while. It is both relaxing and exhilarating at the same time, and I always have a blast.
Q: What was your most-commented Facebook post?
I don’t remember.
Q: What’s number one on your bucket list and why?
After college, I want to spend a year traveling around the world with a backpack. My dad and his best friend did the same thing, so I would be carrying on a tradition. And I think that it would help me to expand my world-view.
Q: What is your best non-athletic skill?
Playing the piano.
Q: Favorite Person to follow on Twitter?
I don’t do twitter.
Q: What is your biggest pet peeve and why?
My biggest pet peeve is probably baby talk from teenage girls. It is completely uncalled for and obnoxious.
Q: What is something you are afraid of?
Spiders- something about the multiple eyes and legs freaks me out.
Q: What is an obstacle you had to overcome in your life?
On my Outward Bound course a few years ago, I ended up having to trek for 25 hours straight during a peak ascent. Having eaten little to no food beforehand (supplies were running low) and having hiked 80 miles or so over the previous week, climbing up and down 8000 feet with a heavy pack seemed impossible. Although I was exhausted and there were times when I questioned my ability to keep going, my patrol and I finished successfully. I was very proud of what we accomplished and every time I have to do something really hard, I think back to that experience.
I chose William and Mary because it offered me an ideal combination of athletics and academics- it will allow me to get the full college experience and still give me a chance at going to medical school. I also thought that, of all of the schools that I was looking at, I fit in the best with the Tribe.
Q: Describe a moment when you felt the most Tribe pride...
Tribe swimming has a YouTube channel with videos documenting their lives as college athletes; when I watched the video of them competing at CAA’s, I really felt a connection to the team. That was when I realized that I wanted to be a part of that family.
Q: Take us through your pre-game mental preparation routine:
If I focus too much on my competition, I can easily psych myself out. Before every race, I listen to “Yeah!” by Usher on my iPod and then I talk and laugh with my teammates as much as possible before I swim to distract myself. I always race best when I am having fun with it; over the past year, I have tried to get back to the point where I am racing just for the love of competition.
Q: Do you belong to any other clubs, groups, or organizations?
I belong to a summer swim league, where I coach and swim.
Q: What are some community activities you or your team has done?
We participate in a toy lift at Christmas every year that provides gifts for underprivileged children in our area. In addition, I have worked with my dad at a local soup kitchen several times in the past (bagging and delivering groceries) and I have played piano at a local nursing home.
Q: What is your intended or declared major and why?
I want to complete the prerequisites for medicine, but I don’t have a set major yet. I have considered environmental science, because I think that in the next few years there is going to be a demand for people who are knowledgeable about renewable energy. But I am also interested in taking classes outside science so that I can find out what really interests me. I think it will be important to have a well-rounded education.
Q: Describe your dream job:
I would like to be an anesthesiologist.
Q: If you could play another sport at W&M what would it be and why?
I would play soccer, because I played for several years and loved the game.
Q: Favorite team tradition/activity and why?
Water polo! My summer team gets really into it- we have permanent groups and it is always an intense game. We play music and compete for about an hour and a half.
Q: Which teammate will have the most interesting job in 10 years and why?
I’m not sure- very few of my teammates have decided what they want to do for a career.
Q: What animal would best describe you and why?
A wolf. Wolves can function in packs or alone. I am similar to this in that I am very team-oriented and love swimming in large part because of my teammates. They are my best friends and have become a second family to me; we push each other in practice, encourage each other at meets, and have a blast together when we aren’t in the pool. But swimming can also feel like a very individual sport, and the wolf often travels alone.
Q: What is your favorite quote or phrase?
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover.”
-Mark Twain
Q: What is your favorite type of food (i.e. Chinese, Mexican, etc.)?
Indian or Thai!
Q: Favorite place you have visited or traveled to and why?
I loved going out to Zion National Park in Utah. I had the opportunity to go canyoneering and loved the experience because it felt like a huge, natural playground. The landscape was gorgeous.
Q: If you could sit down for lunch with anyone in the world who would it be and why?
Mark James Owens- he wrote a book about his adventures with his wife in the Kalahari Desert called “Cry of the Kalahari.” They sold everything and moved to Africa to study an uncharted wilderness assumed by most to be too dangerous to live or work in. I think that their carpe diem approach to life, their attempt to meet their goals against all odds, and their sheer bravery were really neat. I would love to sit down and hear more about their adventures.
Q: Most addicting television show?
Chappelle’s Show!!
Q: How will you change the world (or even just one person’s world)?
I have yet to find that out; hopefully college will give me a better idea of the answer to that.
Q: Tell us something about yourself that most people don’t know...
I love to sail- my dad taught me when I was little, and while I don’t live near water, I get the chance to do it every once in a while. It is both relaxing and exhilarating at the same time, and I always have a blast.
Q: What was your most-commented Facebook post?
I don’t remember.
Q: What’s number one on your bucket list and why?
After college, I want to spend a year traveling around the world with a backpack. My dad and his best friend did the same thing, so I would be carrying on a tradition. And I think that it would help me to expand my world-view.
Q: What is your best non-athletic skill?
Playing the piano.
Q: Favorite Person to follow on Twitter?
I don’t do twitter.
Q: What is your biggest pet peeve and why?
My biggest pet peeve is probably baby talk from teenage girls. It is completely uncalled for and obnoxious.
Q: What is something you are afraid of?
Spiders- something about the multiple eyes and legs freaks me out.
Q: What is an obstacle you had to overcome in your life?
On my Outward Bound course a few years ago, I ended up having to trek for 25 hours straight during a peak ascent. Having eaten little to no food beforehand (supplies were running low) and having hiked 80 miles or so over the previous week, climbing up and down 8000 feet with a heavy pack seemed impossible. Although I was exhausted and there were times when I questioned my ability to keep going, my patrol and I finished successfully. I was very proud of what we accomplished and every time I have to do something really hard, I think back to that experience.
