Student Spotlight: Layla

We asked Summer Exploration alum Layla all about her experience learning with us! We’re so happy she enjoyed the program and can’t wait to see what our future Explorers find most rewarding about Summer Exploration.

What are your biggest takeaways from the week? 

My biggest takeaway was that sports are much more than just the athletic aspect. So many little details are part of the body and play. Like how the heart can affect the way you experience/play your sport.

What is an experience you had that really stands out to you?

As a student-athlete who is really into the medical field, what really stood out to me was when one of the guest speakers showed a heart. Seeing it in person was probably cooler, but even online was enough for me. It was a truly extraordinary experience for me.

What is something new that you learned about yourself? 

I learned a ton about how I can change the way I train in my sports. As an example, my mindset. My mindset isn’t always the greatest when I swim, but I feel like if I work on how I talk to myself, I can perform better.

How has this experience changed your mindset and impacted your future goals? 

I always thought I wanted to pursue a future job only in medicine instead of sports medicine. Sports medicine seems similar, but it has other aspects to the job that seems more interactive and interesting with the patients/athletes.

Describe someone you met who impacted you.

Some people who impacted me were the two basketball players from Wake Forest. As an athlete, their mindset and their attitude are really inspiring to me. Around my age, other peers aren’t really interested in their sport anymore, so having teammates who are negative most of the time isn’t ideal. But those two guys were really passionate about what they do, so it was really eye-opening for me.

Why would you recommend the Summer Exploration Program?

I would recommend this program because it isn’t just super fun, the leaders and other kids are amazing!! Everyone is down to earth, and really smart. I really wish I took this class sooner!

*The Summer Exploration Program is planning to host students on-campus for Summer 2022, pending future public health guidelines.