Balancing Act: Rishav Ranganathan's Student-Athlete Story

Since coming to Galloway freshman year, current junior, Rishav Ranganathan, has excelled in multiple areas inside and outside of the classroom. Not only has Rishav successfully completed several rigorous courses, but he has also been an integral part of the Tennis and Debate teams over the past three years. To balance all he has to do, Rishav has devised a schedule that not only allows him to excel in school but also to perform at his highest level in the extracurriculars he pursues. So how can you do this and achieve similar results?

First, what does a typical day look like in the life of Rishav? He explained, “I get to school around 7:55 AM, [and] I try to get all my work done during my free periods. Tennis takes up at least two hours of my time after school so I attempt to structure my work around that time as well.” With extracurricular activities such as tennis adding even more to his plate, does prioritization ever play a role in his thought process when in a time crunch? I know for me and other students I talk to, this is a necessary evil when having such a packed schedule; however, does it affect Rishav? He simply stated, “No, I just have a very solid schedule so I have very effective time-management skills.” When asked what motivates him to continue to perform at such a high level despite his overwhelming schedule, Rishav said, “My main drive is to challenge myself in all areas of my life. If I’m not occupied with something I get bored.” But apart from everyday life, how does such a rigorous schedule affect the outlook on future college and career decisions? How do the skills a student learns through such a hectic schedule affect the ability to perform in the future? 

On the subject of his future, Rishav focuses on how the skills he has learned, throughout his schooling experience, could give him an advantage: “I learn hard work, perseverance, and never procrastinate. The teamwork I learn from others helps me focus in the classroom and participate better with others.” With his longer-term goals, Rishav believed that his extracurricular activities would help him  “lock in on [his] future courses in college and [his] future career.” With hopes of getting into a good college in order to pursue a career in medicine, Rishav believes his current situation sets him up perfectly for the future. 

Overall, you should always do your best to challenge yourself but never do too much that it becomes too overwhelming for you to handle. However, what if you do want to step it up to Rishav’s level? His advice for other students is simply, “Work hard and never give up. Practicing every day is crucial as well as listening to everything your coaches/teachers say whilst being an active learner at the same time.” This all culminates in helping a student achieve success inside and outside of the classroom. If you follow these steps, you can shape your future as you desire. 

By Luke Birch