Buffer the ups & downs
As a swimmer, life constantly revolves around the huge ups (the major tournaments where you’re in the spotlight) and enormous downs (the fatigue of heavy training). Growing up means learning to buffer these ups & downs. This may sound familiar to those who paid attention in chemistry class, but if you don’t recognize what it means, in this context I use the word buffer to indicate that you want to be able to make the extremes a little less extreme. You have to learn to control the extremes and accept them, which, in a way, will make them feel a little bit less extreme.
Why volunteering at the Arboretum?
Pretty cool being able to volunteer at the JC Raulston Arboretum this semester. I believe that helping out in the garden is a great way to make a positive impact on the community, and it’s a great way to clear the mind and physically and mentally get away from the pool.
Why Nijmegen?
The city of Nijmegen still feels like home to me. Not only because of my family and friends who live there, the memories I have from when I grew up there, or the familiarity of the streets and shops, but especially because Nijmegen has always been the place for me to make important life decisions, it’s the place where I learned wise lessons and made the difficult choices to eventually get where I am today. I made these decisions on long walks through Heumensoord, the Overasseltse Vennen, the botanical garden in Park Brakkesteyn, or during the ‘rondje brug’ that I often made with my parents and Buddy the dog around the new Spiegelwaal area. Nijmegen is a green city, with plenty of space to think and process life. And I really appreciate that.
Why NC State?
I can still see my 18 year old self sitting on the couch with my parents, pondering whether or not he should take the chance to go to the USA to combine swimming and school. I wish that I was able to tell him that he is about to make the best choice of his life.
Why be in school while being a professional swimmer?
I am convinced that a healthy balance between swimming and school will generate growth on both sides. Swimming is a healthy outlet for the stress caused by schoolwork, and in return, schoolwork works as a healthy distraction to reduce the pressure put on my performance in the pool. All my life I have done swimming with studying beside each other and I believe that I will always keep doing that, unless I find a job that I can combine with swimming. You never stop learning and I believe it is important to invest in life after my swimming career.