There are thousands of college students, millions of citizens, and billions of people in the world. Each individual is on the hunt for some goal, some satisfaction that needs to be attained. I am no different; I too have my ambitions, my fears, and my guilty pleasures.
To stand out among the rest is a driving force for the way I act, the things I do, and the way I see the world. The world through my eyes is constantly a competition; who is better than the other? Who will win this time? I live for competition, and I strive for success. Perhaps this is the reason I row crew for UCLA.
I have centered my life around rowing. My class schedule had to be picked revolving around practice times, the food I eat is aimed to give me optimal performance in the boat, my daily schedule, from sleeping to studying, is all revolved around rowing. I never dreamed that I would get to represent such a prestigious school in such a demanding sport; if you told me that I would row crew for UCLA one year ago I would tell you that you’re crazy.
But I love it. Everything about it. The sound of the blade driving the water through the Marina, the pristine silence between every stroke, the “whooshing” sound of the carbon fiber as the boat accelerates, these are a few among many reasons that I love rowing. People often ask why do you wake up at five in the morning? How do you do that? Sometimes I find myself asking myself the same thing, why do I do what I do? There have definitely been times when I wanted to quit. And to put it simply, it’s the drive, the competition, the rewarding feeling after a terribly torturous workout, the camaraderie, and the friends.
I myself am only a first year, unsure of what lies outside the campus grounds of this university, unsure of my future. However, there are aspects in my life that I am sure about, that I am sure that I enjoy at the moment. And at eighteen years old, the moment is all I have time for.
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