Last Wednesday at Rose Cafe, Silviu Tanasoiu, the Savitt-Weiss Head Coach of Men’s Tennis, came to talk to us about motivation on and off the playing field. Coach Tanasoiu emphasizes that being a student-athlete is a privilege very little have, and that the key to success is being very intentional with time, juggling practice, academics, and traveling each week. I was surprised to hear that the US is one of the only countries where it is normal to pursue higher education while aspiring for professional tennis. More commonly, the idea of going to school while playing tennis is foreign, as an education is seen as a deterrent to time focusing on tennis.

Although Tanasoiu’s discussion was focused on the challenges facing men’s tennis players, I found that his points were very applicable lessons for life in general. Make adversity is your best friend- because no matter where one is in life, one will always face it, so it is better to be thankful and take it as an opportunity to grow. Don’t get caught up in outcomes, because they inevitably will disappoint you every once in a while. And always be grateful: it is easy to get caught up with small things/stresses of daily life, and forget about the people who sacrificed their love and time to help you. Overall, I found Coach Tanasoiu’s talk very inspiring, and his advice echoes many qualities that I strive for.