As Stanford's student-athletes have departed campus for home, it's time to get to know the members of the sailing team. Today's edition features Justin Lim:
How did you get your start with sailing?
When I was in middle school, I was really invested in playing basketball and improving my skills. But after a bunch of injuries, my parents suggested I try out a different sport. I had attended the Stanford Sailing Summer Camp when I was younger and had good memories of sailing z420's in the mini-regatta at the end of each week. So I started sailing the Optis at the Peninsula Youth Sailing Foundation and later started sailing at the San Francisco Yacht Club. I found that I really enjoyed sailing because I could make my own decisions on the water. I also loved that it's an intellectual sport -- you have to think deeply about what choices you're making and why.
Why did you choose Stanford?
I chose Stanford because it has the best combination of academics, extracurricular activities, and athletics. How many other universities in the whole United States have a better combination? Other factors that went into it: The Bay Area has perfect weather for year-round sailing compared to other East Coast sailing schools, it's close to home, and it has an incredible computer science program, the major I intend to study.
Favorite memory with the team?
My favorite moment with the sailing team is when we all drove up to Tahoe for a weekend to ski. It was a great bonding moment-- we talked for four hours straight in the car ride up, hit the slopes during the day, and stayed in an Airbnb together overnight sharing stories. It was fun to get to know everyone in a different setting.
What do you enjoy doing when not on the water?
When I'm not on the water, I'm usually doing homework, hanging out with my dormmates, eating at the Axe & Palm, or playing ping pong. I also like to play pickup basketball with friends or do my own workouts aside from the team's 7 a.m. lift sessions.
What are you currently doing away from campus?
Right now I'm at home spending time with family and enjoying my free time with no classes. I'm also taking a Coursera class on deep learning AI and reshaping my courses for the spring quarter. While it's unfortunate that I won't be able to spend the spring quarter on campus with friends, it'll be good to rest my mind and body. I'm also regularly FaceTiming friends. Even though we're each stuck in our own rooms, we're doing our best to stay connected.
How has your Stanford experience helped you manage the COVID-19 situation?
I'm really lucky that I grew up only 20 miles from campus, so when the COVID-19 situation escalated, I took everything home in one morning. I'm inspired by everyone I know on campus, from my teammates to my close dormmates, who live in Chicago, New York, Spain, and other places in the world, as they find ways to make the best of their situations. The sailing coaches are organizing weekly Zoom meetings to learn from our past regattas, hear updates on the COVID-19 situation, and brainstorm about what we can do during this period to continue working harder than other teams across the country. Everyone's resilience during this time truly represents the Stanford community's ability to do anything we put our minds to. It's just a matter of time before we beat the virus and can all be back together again.