Kirsten Olson is Her Campus DePauw’s newest celebrity! Kirsten is a sophomore communications major with a love for water! She came to DePauw all the way from Wayzata, MN, and we are so lucky to have her serve a critical role on our swim team! With her bubbly personality and happy-go-lucky way of life, you would never guess that she spends hours upon hours every week in the pool while also managing to exceed in her schoolwork. Kirsten is dedicated, but she knows how to have fun and not take life too seriously! In a few weeks she is headed to Texas to compete in the NCAA National Championship for swimming! We all look forward to cheering her on and celebrating her successes in her sport!
HC: Kirsten! Thank you so much for letting me interview you for Her Campus celebrities! How are you?
CC: I am good! I have just been busy with schoolwork and swimming.
HC: So, I know that you have a big swim meet soon, could you tell us a little about it?
CC:We actually have the NCAA National Championship coming up in a few weeks down in Texas. So I will be traveling there for a week with three of my teammates. I qualified to swim two individual events and a few relays. I am really looking forward to it.
HC: Wow, that’s so awesome! Congratulations on being such an incredible athlete! I know you put many hours of hard work into it every week. When did you start swimming?
CC: I have been swimming for as long as I can remember. However, I started swimming competitively when I was eight years old and I guess I just couldn’t stay away from the water.
HC: Wow! You are such an inspiration! What do you love most about your sport?
CC: I love that swimming is both an individual and team sport. I enjoy being able to do the events that I am good at, yet there is still the team aspect, such as relays. The team here is great and I wouldn’t be able to get through the season without them. I love seeing the team come together for meets, especially for conference, and supporting each other.
HC: Very cool! I love how team-oriented you are! I know that you’re really great at what you do! I’m dying to know your secret! What do you think makes a successful athlete?
CC: I think dedication is a key contributor to being successful. I have had to sacrifice many things in order to become successful, and I’m sure that many other swimmers and athletes would attest to that. However, to be dedicated, you have to love the sport, which I have to remind myself when I wake up for 6 am practice several times a week.
HC: Wo, 6:00 am, what dedication! That’s good to know. So what are your race-day preparations? Do you play pump up music or have a favorite pre-race meal?
CC: I definitely listen to some pump up music to get me ready. I also like to dance and jump around before I swim. Got to get the blood flowing.
HC: Haha, definitely! Who doesn’t like a good pump up dance! When you aren’t in the pool how do you spend your free time?
CC: In my minimal free time, I’m usually spending time with friends or keeping up with schoolwork. I also try to sleep and eat as much as I can.
HC: Well, thanks again for meeting with me Kirsten! Best of luck at the NCAA National Championship! We will all be rooting for you!!!
CC: Thanks so much, Perrin!