Throughout high school, students are faced with the challenges that come with academics and the demanding effort of being an athlete. Meet Wayne Valley’s valedictorian, Urvi Sinha, who proves that you can excel in both. “I have always been determined to keep all A’s, even since middle school. Even though senior year has been tough with all the APs I have taken, knowing that I have already accomplished so much keeps me going,” Sinha expresses when speaking about how she stays motivated. Staying motivated is crucial for personal performance. She talks about pushing herself to the limit and recognizing that she can do whatever it takes to be satisfied with how she is doing. “My younger self often doubted herself, so I would tell myself not to limit myself because I am capable of doing many things.” Sinha expresses how important it is to believe in yourself and surround yourself with people who lift you. “I keep my grades up for myself.”
Juggling the demands of being a student-athlete is difficult, especially when you are a captain of a team. Sinha is one of the three girls’ swim team captains and touches on how it has affected her study and work ethic. She recommends breaking assignments down into smaller pieces and working around your sports schedule. She takes pride in the sport and being such a big part of it. “From being a team captain, I have learned to appreciate everyone’s strengths. I think it’s amazing how so many of the girls, who have either not swum before or only did summer swim, have accomplished so much. It takes a lot of mental strength to swim, and I think that is another thing that I have gained as team captain.”
During her years at Valley, she has had to deal with time management, pressure, and the mental struggles of it all. Sinha also gives credit to those who have helped her along the way. “I know that both the girls and the coach believe in me to do my best, and it has helped me get out of my head.” The girls’ swim team has not had the best record, but she implies that the people make it worthwhile.
Coaches and teachers have an incredible ability to act as catalysts for personal growth. Sinha mentions how much Mrs. Alhert, a teacher at Wayne Valley, has impacted her. “Originally, I hated biology, but my friends convinced me to take the class. Before I had her, I had no idea what I wanted to do for a career or major in college. She made me fall in love with bio and showed me the many possibilities with it.”
Sinha applied to eleven schools for General Biology or Neuroscience. She applied to Case Western Reserve, Columbia, Cornell, Georgia Tech, Northeastern, Princeton, Rutgers- New Brunswick, UConn, UPenn, UVA, and Vanderbilt. The college application process can be difficult and time-consuming, especially while balancing sports and studying. She admits that it was stressful. She vocalizes the struggles of finding a topic for any admissions essays. She recommends that anyone stuck in the tedious process of applications should start early. “My advice for anyone going through the college process is to start thinking of a Personal Statement idea early on, like the end of junior year. Then, start the college process as soon as the CommonApp opens in August. You will have a lot of free time, and you won’t be as stressed during the school (senior) year.”
Urvi Sinha is a great example of how being a student-athlete is a unique and rewarding experience. She has managed to organize her time wisely and has committed to a sport she loves, all while thinking about her future. “Being a student athlete will help me in college because I have learned to manage my time. Also, I have gained a lot of mental strength, which I think is important for college.” She is a role model for all valedictorian/student-athletes to come. It requires sacrifices and determination, but she is pushing through the challenges to be the best version of herself.
