Senior Lauren Buehner has been racing for almost a decade, and she’s been running for AHS’ track team since her freshman year. Now, she’s headed to Columbia University next fall to begin a new chapter in her life.

When I asked about her experience running here at AHS, she mentioned,“The two previous seasons, I had only been focused on improving my times and putting my best foot forward for college recruitment.” By coming off as bubbly and charismatic while also competing in numerous events, Lauren has earned the respect and aspiration of her peers both on and off the team. 

When asked about how she deals with pressure during races and stress about meeting college standards, she divulged about how college “was and always has been a huge concern”. She notes she’s “learned to cope and ignore her worries when necessary” but of course she admits, “we are only human”, that she “will always be stressed out about races; however, with an amazing support system backing her up”, she continues to strive and conquer life.

One of her most inspirational sources of support stems from her close-knit team, whom she also considers her family. She admits, “I definitely would not love the sport as much as I do without them,” adding, “Whenever I needed any kind of support, my team was always there to encourage me and keep me grounded.” Even her club coaches, she reveals, encouraged her to think further into the future, a suggestion which led her to pursue college athletics, “Over the past nine years I have developed a passion and love for this sport, and it’s become a huge part of my life. I wanted my college experience to reflect that.” Lauren also opened up about the recruitment process she went through, reaching out to multiple coaches at prospective schools, researching programs, looking into student life, and visiting campuses. “I knew Columbia was for me after my official visit,” revealing how she “fell in love with everything about the university” after meeting with coaches, sitting in classes, and immediately clicking with the team, making her decision obvious. 

Not only does she focus on sports, but she also has to balance five core classes with her ambitious schedule; by the time of her graduation, Lauren will have taken nine AP exams and two languages, French and Spanish. Her tip to other student-athletes: “compartmentalize”. She explained, “I focus on what I’m doing when I’m doing it and give it my full effort and attention. When I’m finished with one assignment or practice, I move onto the next one.” This strategy has opened up numerous opportunities for her to participate in outside activities as well: Lauren teaches Sunday School and works at her church’s charity while also being a part of Youth and Government, SMW, and the Tournament of Roses Royal Court. 

Even though Lauren seems to have everything down, she ensures me that her best friend, Netflix, provides the occasional distraction and she takes “just as many Buzzfeed quizzes as the next person”. From years of experience, she disclosed a final lesson for everyone, “I’ve though learned it’s sometimes important to sacrifice things I like to do in order to achieve my goals,” adding, “Life is about balance and sometimes breaks are necessary. You just have to be willing to prioritize in order to be successful!” 

Thank you, Lauren, for taking the time to indulge us with your life lessons, I wish the best of luck to you and your team this season, and I hope your amazing experiences will continue to follow you to Columbia!

Photo courtesy of the ARCADIA UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT