Chris Whiting

Lapeer, Mich.

Senior

Track and Field

Psychology major

As an athlete at the SHU, how hard is it to balance your social life, school, and your athletic craft all at once while keeping yourself sane?

“It can be challenging at times, especially when competitive season comes every weekend, so it’s really hard to blow off some steam. I have decent time management skills so I know how much time I have. I always try to save time to hang with friends or relax.”

I’m sure Siena probably wasn’t your dream school to attend back in high school. Are you more grateful for coming here or kind of thinking it may have been cool to experience the bigger campus life?

“I’m grateful now that I got to experience Siena. The small campus and class size is great. It helps that I have friends at bigger schools, so when I have free time so I can go and experience every once and awhile when I feel like it. I really like the small campus feel now.”

Track and field is to most people who don’t follow it a strictly sprint and long distance heavy sport, but you would certainly argue there’s more to it than that right?

“Definitely! As a pole vaulter, it’s a sprinting event but there’s a lot more upper body strength involved in it along with coordination. Track and field is a big mental aspect coupled with it, but in pole vault, since it’s considered a dangerous sport, you have a huge deal of respect for others because the mental aspect is such a big part of it. It’s more fun than running to me.”

What keeps you occupied around here when you not in class or in season?

“Hanging with friends definitely. I play a lot of league and video games. Like to hang out outside and play volleyball. Anything that keeps me active is good for me. Spending time with friends is the biggest way to occupy my time.”

I know this since I play with you quite a bit, but to those who don’t you dabble in a computer game called ‘League of Legends,’ would you say it’s harder to be consistently good at that or consistently good at track and field?

Oh dear. Hard to compare since they’re two different activities. Track and field is more physically draining on the body. ‘League’ you can sit and play and it’s mental. ‘League’ you’ll have sore fingers track your whole body may hurt. ‘League’ is strategic. Track and field is more demanding.”

Would you consider yourself outgoing or more of an anti-social butterfly?

Definitely outgoing, not that I don’t enjoy alone time. As a psychology student, I like working and spending time with people. Sometimes I want to sit and play ‘League’ and not talk to anybody, but I definitely consider myself outgoing.”

So why choose Psychology as your major?

“Well, I really like learning about the brain and behavior. I want to be a high school counselor some day, so learning about behavior will help me study in that profession. I won’t say it’s the hardest, but I feel it’s very applicable for jobs and covers a lot.”

What are your plans after college as of right now?

“Graduate school, definitely. That would be within the next two years. Hopefully within the next five I’ll be working as a high school counselor, or at least some type of school counselor. I still would like to be on a club team or active in sports.”

Some readers won’t get this but they may look it up after they read it. “League of Legends” question for you: rather be an all-time support as Bard, or be forced to adc with Rengar for a month?

Rengar for a month! I’m way too versatile on the rift to be stuck with one champ. Champs get boring after so long and they get boring. Bard is fun but Rengar at least I can blow up champs.