Megan Wang makes waves
Ever since she was a child, Megan Wang, senior, has had a life filled with passions. From the crashing of waves inside a pool to the rhythmic strokes of a paint brush, Wang has always found ways to express herself and pursue her interests. Throughout the last four years, Wang has channeled her energy academically, creatively and athletically, devoting countless hours to the aspects of her life she cares about most, especially to the sport of swimming.
Wang’s greatest role model is her older sister, who inspired her initially to try out swimming and to later start swimming competitively. Wang accredits her sister to always pushing her to do her best and encouraging her throughout their lives. “[My older sister] encouraged me to try harder, even if I felt like giving up, which was really nice. I wanted to be like that when I grew up,” Wang said.
Wang’s advice to new swimmers is to not stress over things too much and that the sport of swimming will flow eventually. “Swimming has really changed my attitude towards things. It taught me the importance of time management and my priorities in general, especially since I’m going to college for swimming,” Wang said. Wang is committed to the Division I swimming program at the University of California, San Diego. “[When swimming,] just focus on having fun [and] don’t do things because you feel like you have to do them. Do them because you want to. Freshman year was so tough on me because I was stuck in a spot that I didn’t want to be. And basically, high school swimming taught me how to have fun again,” Wang said.
To Wang, a balanced life is extremely important for success, which is why she stresses the importance of having a multitude of different outlets and trying new things. “I’m passionate about art. I paint in my free time. I can’t focus on swimming the whole time,” Wang. Wang also enjoys going to the beach and spending her days surfing.
Wang’s intended major is human biology, which focuses on science courses, such as anatomy and psychology. “I want to be an orthopedic surgeon, because when I injured my knee, I had to visit one, and I thought he was really cool. [My orthopedic surgeon] got to work with other athletes, and I feel like if I were to be an orthopedic surgeon, especially as a female in that vicinity, I feel like people would be comfortable and trust me,” Wang said.
