Five things to learn from Linda Okonkowski

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Five things to learn from Linda Okonkowski

It’s been a long day for senior Linda Okonkowski. After a 6 a.m. practice, it’s breakfast, classes, meetings, and then another two to three hour practice. Then it’s dinner, homework, and sleep –— if there’s time. When she’s not pounding out laps in prepa- ration for her fourth NCAA Division II National Meet, beginning March 14, she’s diving into her text books priming for Michigan State University’s prestigious College of Veterinary Medicine. Here are her keys to success:

1 Find your passion and set a goal

Okonkowski found her two loves at a remarkably young age. In the first grade, she started swimming and de- cided to be a veterinarian. To- day, she is Hillsdale College’s first two-time All-American swimmer and one of just 114 students accepted to MSU’s vet school this year. She implores others to find what makes them tick. “Expose yourself to every area,” she said. “Be open-minded and take different classes.” Okonkowski found her passion long ago, but more importantly she continually pursued her smaller goals. This season, she set a goal to make it to nationals for the fourth time. On March 14, she will be swimming the 200-meter but- terfly, the 400-meter individual medley, the 200-meter IM and the 100-meter fly at the national meet in Dallas, Texas. “When I knew I had a specific goal, it makes getting up early [for morning workouts] that much worth it,” she said.

2 Be competitive but find a balance

In her sophomore season, Okonkowski broke nine team records. “If I see someone at a different school swimming fast, I want to swim faster,” she said. She stresses the importance of healthy competition. As a freshman she swam in the same lane as former star swimmer Anne Verhoef ‘09. “I would not be as fast without her,” she said. To this day Okonkowski admires Verhoef, and they keep in touch. Throughout her career, Okonkowski has been quick to talk about the friendships she’s developed through swimming. “You still have to be there for family and friends,” she said. “Find that balance everyday or you’ll drive yourself crazy.”

3 Have a positive attitude and read “The Read”

For someone who gets up nearly every morning for the first of two daily workouts, travels all over the Midwest for meets, earns a 3.74 GPA, is a member of three honoraries, and co-founded the veterinary club, staying positive might be easier to dream about than do. For Okonkowski, positivity is essential. “There never seems to be enough time to get things done. But they always do get done, and they get done well,” she said. “Having a positive attitude helps me get through.” As a little reminder, she keeps a copy of a book her sister gave to her called “The Secret” by Rhonda Byrne. “I swear by it,” she said.

4 Have a support system

“Family. That is huge in any- thing I’ve accomplished,” Okonkowski said. When it came time to commit to veteri- nary school, she chose MSU not only because it is one of the best programs in the na- tion, but because it’s less than two hours from her home in Allen Park, Mich. She credits her parents, sister, teammates, coaches, and professors as major contributors to her success. Assistant Professor of Biology Jeffrey VanZant is her research adviser and has been with her “every step of the way,” she said. The support of her teammates has always been important to Okonkowski as well. The Chargers finished sixth at GLIACs, but that was not the only highlight for Okonkowski. “It was by far the best GLIACS ever,” she said. “It was my best season not just in terms of times but in getting to know my teammates.”

5 Don’t half-ass it

Head swim coach Kurt Kirner previ- ously told The Col- legian, “She finds a way to go fast. It speaks di- rectly to her work ethic.” Work ethic is something Okonkowski said she learned from her par- ents and her sister, who teaches primarily Hispanic students in inner-city Detroit. “You get out of it what you put into it in ev- erything,” she said. “If you’re going to do it half-ass, you’re not going to get what you want out of it.”