Turning Pressure into Energy

The air in the rink felt sharp enough to cut my lungs. I dropped into position and waited for the referee's signal. I started short track speed skating when I was ten years old – not as a hobby, but as training to become an athlete. Through the sport, I learned not only to skate fast but also how to control myself under pressure. Competing on the ice made me grow. It was through short track speed skating that I learned 'nervousness' was not an emotion to avoid but energy that I can use.

The most nerve wrecking moment came just before the race started. My heart was pounding so fast that I couldn't breathe, and I kept thinking, "I am going to make a mistake.” The pressure was unbearable. Then my father told me, “Don’t try to relax. Just think about the steps you have to take. Start. First corner, then run. You will do just fine.” After hearing his advice, I no longer viewed tension as an uncontrollable emotion to avoid or fear. In the past, anxiety made me feel urgent and made my movement bigger and tense. However, since that moment, I focused on what I could control and raced with calmness. By the final lap, I was in control of my emotions. I won the race.

Surprisingly, my father’s advice changed how I think and act under pressure beyond the rink. During club presentations, important exams, or class projects, I rushed through my ideas and spoke quickly in front of people because I felt pressured to do well. I was afraid of making mistakes or failing, so I avoided these moments. After the race, I found myself using the same approach that I used in short track. I focused on one thing I can control, focused on that starting moment, and trusted the rest of the process. As a result, I communicated more clearly, I felt stable and confident, and my thoughts became more structured. Tension no longer stopped me. It caused me to concentrate, become calmer and coordinated, and take more responsibility in team projects.

I am ready to take on new challenges that require rigor and collaboration at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Through rigorous classes and team projects, I will be a leader and a team member who does not avoid pressure and helps the team work closely together. I will focus on creating an atmosphere where my peers stay calm under pressure and competition. The biggest lesson from the short track was learning how to stay balanced and focused in nerve wrecking moments. I carry that mindset in the classroom and in club activities at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, contributing to my studies and student community, helping others fuel tension into positive energy moving forward.