My name is Vanessa Legge. This past September I accepted positions as a competitive swimmer with the Memorial Swim Team and as a voice major at the School of Music. When people ask what I’m doing at MUN, most are shocked to hear my different combination of sports and music. Many wonder how I ended up being an athlete as well as a music student? The answer to this is very simple, the two disciplines are more alike than you could imagine. Yes, as a rookie Sea-Hawk and a vocal student I am extremely busy, but I wouldn’t have it any other way.
I started both swimming and music lessons at a very young age, around 3 years old, so both activities have been life-long practices. I love both of them and am very happy to be able to pursue both at a university level.
My average day is a very busy one! Most mornings there is an alarm clock going off at 6AM for morning practice, then I’m off to classes followed a few hours of vocal rehearsal in the afternoon and back in the pool again at night. This schedule, day in and day out, is demanding but I find it helps me stay focused and I’ve learned to manage my time very well. Whether you’re involved in a competitive sport or mastering a musical instrument, both pursuits take a huge amount of discipline, time and determination. Athletes and musicians are really very alike in that they are both striving for excellence in their chosen pursuits.
Settling into my first semester at university was a big adjustment but I’m so lucky to be enjoying my faculty and my sport as much as I am. To anyone that told you, you have to pick between sports and music, you don’t. There are amazing opportunities all around, especially here at Memorial. I’m looking forward to seeing what the next five years have in store for me. Hopefully I’ll see some of you at competitions or concerts in the near future.
By: Vanessa Legge