Competitive swimming has been a significant part of my life for as long as I can remember. In many ways, it has shaped me into the person I am today. It has taught me so much, scared me sometimes, but overall has reinforced discipline, time management, respect, and it has allowed me to develop a very broad and beautiful sense of community. It is a privilege and a gift that has enabled me to belong easily in many different spaces.

It has also taught me bravery, and for that I credit my long-term coach, Nick Baker, who I trained with over many summers, in cities all across the US, from the age of 6 to the age of 14. Plagued with indecision to attend boarding school — so I could pursue swimming at a higher level alongside my academic pursuits — I called and spoke with Nick. I will never forget the painting he showed me of two boys jumping off a cliff and splashing into the sea. I could take a chance and jump, or stay still and never know that possible adventure. I chose to jump.

That painting, Nick’s gentle nudge, and my courage to take a difficult decision has become a symbolic mantra for me. I will never know what new doors and experiences await me if I am unable to test the waters beyond my comfort zone and take a leap of faith. Just as my United World College experience has taught me, you just can’t know what lies behind the door if you’re too hesitant to open it.

I have been blessed with new experiences and rites of passage toward maturity, self-care, cross-cultural understanding, and open-mindedness. I often think of Nick and those boys taking a plunge into the ocean anytime I am in a bind or need bravery in decision-making.