The Lancer Way: Rebeca Oviedo
12/13/2019 8:40:00 AM | Women's Swimming and Diving, Swimming and Diving, The Lancer Way
The Lancer Way is a new platform provided by California Baptist University's Athletic Department that allows student-athletes to share their stories. All of the words are their own.
Written By: Rebeca Oviedo, Women's Swimming, So., San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Here I am laying on my apartment´s couch preparing myself for two hours of morning swim practice at 5:30 a.m.
Yeah, I know. The questions most likely popping into your mind right now are:
Is the water cold?
Wouldn't you prefer being in bed that early in the morning?
Why do you do it?
Well let me tell you, yes, the water is cold and so is the weather at 5:30 a.m. Yes, I would prefer to be in my bed at that time, but I am a swimmer and I want to get better every single day.
Let me introduce myself. My name is Rebeca Oviedo and I'm from San Luis Potosi, Mexico. I´m majoring in political science, and as you have noticed I am on the swim team here at CBU.
Coming to CBU changed my life completely. My life and routines were switched upside down. I was entering a totally different country with a totally different culture; I had to leave my family and friends.
However, I got to experience new things through encountering new challenges every day and meeting strangers who in a short amount of time became family.
Since I was very young, I always dreamed of being able to study in another part of the world, where I could go to college and continue to swim competitively.
There was a time when I no longer believed it was an option to go to college in another country, and at that point I had decided to stay and attend university in Mexico. I would also try to balance swimming for my club team and university, which would have been a bit complicated.
However, a few months before finishing high school I went to a national championship meet and met Coach Rick Rowland. He offered me the opportunity to study at CBU and continue swimming, which for me was a dream come true.
I still remember very well the last month I was at home before coming to CBU. I was very nervous and a little scared, with very little expectation of what my first year in California would be like. My parents, feeling equally nervous (or a little worse than me), let their youngest daughter go to live in another country in order to live her dream and grow as a person.
My first semester was challenging, from starting out with homesickness being away from my family to having to learn a new teaching system and learning a new swim training method.
Little by little, I felt part of a new family and from there I started to embrace a new lifestyle. It started with teammates who are always there whenever someone needs a friend, supporting each other anytime someone did not have a good practice or a good race. Most importantly, my teammates encourage me and inspire me to be a better person and swimmer.
Every day, I am beyond grateful for being where I am now and the person I am becoming. Thank you, CBU, for the good experiences, for the tough lessons and the people I have met along the way, because every day is a blessing.
LANCE UP!
Written By: Rebeca Oviedo, Women's Swimming, So., San Luis Potosi, Mexico
Here I am laying on my apartment´s couch preparing myself for two hours of morning swim practice at 5:30 a.m.
Yeah, I know. The questions most likely popping into your mind right now are:
Is the water cold?
Wouldn't you prefer being in bed that early in the morning?
Why do you do it?
Well let me tell you, yes, the water is cold and so is the weather at 5:30 a.m. Yes, I would prefer to be in my bed at that time, but I am a swimmer and I want to get better every single day.
Let me introduce myself. My name is Rebeca Oviedo and I'm from San Luis Potosi, Mexico. I´m majoring in political science, and as you have noticed I am on the swim team here at CBU.
Coming to CBU changed my life completely. My life and routines were switched upside down. I was entering a totally different country with a totally different culture; I had to leave my family and friends.
However, I got to experience new things through encountering new challenges every day and meeting strangers who in a short amount of time became family.
📢📢📢
— CBU Swimming & Diving (@CBUswim) March 3, 2019
Here is your @WACsports Freshman of the Year, Rebeca Oviedo! What a conference debut!#LanceUp pic.twitter.com/coiRNANMNS
Since I was very young, I always dreamed of being able to study in another part of the world, where I could go to college and continue to swim competitively.
There was a time when I no longer believed it was an option to go to college in another country, and at that point I had decided to stay and attend university in Mexico. I would also try to balance swimming for my club team and university, which would have been a bit complicated.
However, a few months before finishing high school I went to a national championship meet and met Coach Rick Rowland. He offered me the opportunity to study at CBU and continue swimming, which for me was a dream come true.
I still remember very well the last month I was at home before coming to CBU. I was very nervous and a little scared, with very little expectation of what my first year in California would be like. My parents, feeling equally nervous (or a little worse than me), let their youngest daughter go to live in another country in order to live her dream and grow as a person.
My first semester was challenging, from starting out with homesickness being away from my family to having to learn a new teaching system and learning a new swim training method.
Little by little, I felt part of a new family and from there I started to embrace a new lifestyle. It started with teammates who are always there whenever someone needs a friend, supporting each other anytime someone did not have a good practice or a good race. Most importantly, my teammates encourage me and inspire me to be a better person and swimmer.
Every day, I am beyond grateful for being where I am now and the person I am becoming. Thank you, CBU, for the good experiences, for the tough lessons and the people I have met along the way, because every day is a blessing.
LANCE UP!
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