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• NEO-Fighter
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Not just a face
Meet Mr. Multitalented
07.10.2008|Aeron Valderrama |
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That is actually his only reason to be in UP; however, he also wants to compete for the University in his chosen sport. Nico, then, got in touch with Luica Dacanay, UP's great swimmer and a friend of his. He asked if there is a slot for him for a scholarship and in the team as well. It turned out there is. Thus, there is no stopping this cutie to don the maroon and green.
Nico has been a swimmer all his life. he started learning the basics when he was at the age of two. After quitting for almost two years, he went back to the sport after contracting asthma. In two years time he became a great young athlete. Nico had been winning trophies from the age of six to ten.
However, such an early bloomer has his own ups and downs. In his later years, several competitors caught and pushed Nico down. What kept him into the sport is his friends (whom he considers his "brothers and sisters"), his family, and his passion. Moreover, it is the lessons he learned in swimming. The University is thus blessed that he carried on, moreover, chose to study and to play here.
Nico is taking up Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering (IE). Being a math wiz during XS days helped him decide to take an engineering course. However, he chose IE because he thinks it can help him in starting up a business of his own. Nico is the type of person who does not want to take orders from people, i.e., he does not want to work for a factory, a company, or a person for that matter. It might be due to the fact that grew up supported in everything he does.
He also considers the UP Varsity Swimming Team as his family in UP. It helped him cope up with the culture shock UP freshies usually get. Nico describes his teammates as athletes who work hard in training just to give honor for the University come competitions time.
Nico exclaimed that choosing UP is a nice decision. He is enjoying the petty pleasures of one's stay in the University. He loves eating fishballs and dining in Rodic's. He also currently enjoying his time through his first semester, which he considers, and many IE majors will agree, to be the his easiest semester ever. He describes UP people as friendly, adventurous, and fun. He further considers them the type of people who will easlily succeed in anything in life.
Though a multifaceted person, Nico still wants to be considered as, first and foremost, a student. He considers education as a primary treasure in life. He considers showbiz, music, dancing, and swimming, only as his passions, and that it is better to have a diploma as fallback. Thus, he takes his studies, amidst all his extra curriculars, seriously. That is why, the greatest lesson he learned about life so far is, not surprisingly, time management.
He describes himself as extrovert. Nico is the type of person who can carry a conversation with ease. (As you might see from the length of this article.) For him a Fighting Maroon is an athlete who works hard in order to give honor to the University. Nico calls on the UP community to continue supporting and cheering for the athletes. He exclaimed that no amount of hard training will just be enough to push one to victory; moral support is also a key factor.
There are people who are so blessed with everything. However, there also some who make people blessed through one's actions and examples. Nico is breathing example of the word passion. Passion that inspires one to dream and eventually succeed.
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Nico has been a swimmer all his life. he started learning the basics when he was at the age of two. After quitting for almost two years, he went back to the sport after contracting asthma. In two years time he became a great young athlete. Nico had been winning trophies from the age of six to ten.
