Peyton Bowen is a senior from Santa Clarita, California. She is majoring in politics and is a member of the Hillsdale College swim team.
When did you start swimming competitively?
About 14 years ago, when I was 8.
Why got you started in swimming?
Basically, I was so uncoordinated that I couldn’t do any other sport properly, so it was kind of a last resort sport. And it was the one I liked, so I stuck with it.
What is your dream job?
My actual dream job is to be the event planner for inaugural balls. That’s my top-tier actual dream job. Lower than that, just like any type of political event planner.
What is the craziest thing that has happened to you in all your years of swimming?
I think I was 14 and I was at a meet. It was a 3-day meet, and in the same meet, I managed to chip my tooth and hyperextend my elbow. And the funny thing is that the event I did both of those in, I still won. I think that’s my craziest swimming story.
Do you have any special rituals for before a race?
I don’t really have anything too crazy that I do. I guess my pre-race ritual is I always eat Nutella at every meet — I don’t know why — it’s just one of those things. Then I just put my headphones in and walk up behind the block and try to get pumped up. I try to keep it pretty light and fun before my races because if I get too ‘in the zone’ then I psyche myself out. So I try to have conversations with people and keep it pretty light.
What made you choose Hillsdale?
It probably started with talk radio — that was number one. It was my parents’ dream school for me. But the funny thing is that I reached out to Hillsdale at the same time that I was reaching out to other schools, and I actually ended up verbally committing to a different school and then left my verbal commitment when I got an offer from Hillsdale. I wanted to go to Hillsdale. It was my top choice.
What is your ideal post-race meal?
Maybe like fettuccine alfredo with some chicken, but like a lot of it…Pretty much anything as long as there’s a ton of it. Anything in huge amounts. With lots of Gatorade.
What do you do to take time to chill from practice or homework?
I spend a lot of my time with friends when I’m not swimming or studying. Because I’m a Chi-O, I spend a lot of time there. When I have time to watch Netflix, I watch Netflix, but I don’t really have much time so it doesn’t really happen that often.
Do you have a particular show that you’ll go to?
I just started “How to Get Away with Murder.”
Is there anyone in particular who has inspired you?
My first coaches would probably be the people who inspired me the most, because they were there when I was learning how to do everything. My first coach was a 17-year-old senior in high school and I idolized her. I thought she was the coolest person in the entire world. And she was probably the one person who made me start loving swimming. We’re still Facebook friends.
-Compiled by Jacquelyn Eubanks