It turns out you really can have it all. SFU athlete Lorenzo Smith was recently selected for the 2015 Great Northwest Athletic Conference Track and Field Academic All-Conference team for demonstrating outstanding achievement in academics and athletics.
In fact, Smith is the top student among the 163 in the conference with a GPA of 4.21 (yes, you read that correctly). At 21 years old, Smith just finished his third year at SFU while completing a major in Biomedical Physiology in the BPK department.
A Chilliwack native, he has run track since the third grade and now he runs for the SFU Track (800m and 1500m) and Cross Country teams. Smith sat down with The Peak to talk about the key to his success.
The Peak: How did you initially react when you heard about the GNAC Academic All-Conference team?
Lorenzo Smith: It’s great. It’s an honour and it’s exciting. [. . .] Especially since there’s so many of us on the team who are doing well academically, so it’s nice. We have a really balanced team that way.
P: I guess what readers want to know is: what’s your secret?
LS: Well I would say there is no secret formula. I don’t think there’s a secret for me, and I definitely don’t think there’s a cookie cutter secret for everybody else. I think it takes a lot of discipline to do well in school. It takes a lot of hard work learning to balance academics and athletics. I don’t know if I have a secret necessarily.
P: Have there been any sacrifices or compromises you have to make in your life to accommodate both athletics and academics?
LS: Sure, there [are] always sacrifices. I think to be good at something, you have to focus on [it] and sacrifice in other areas. Whether that’s a bit of sleep here and there, which is tough because you gotta rest as an athlete. But sometimes you gotta sacrifice sleep. You gotta sacrifice social time as well. That’s been a big one. [. . .] But I’m trying to be balanced as well.
P: What attracts you to track and field?
LS: It’s a funny sport to like. You get better by working really hard. It’s not always pleasant. I’ve always just loved running [. . .] You’re just constantly pushing. It’s very mental as well. I can’t even tell you why I like it necessarily [laughs]. It’s not even that fun, to be honest, sometimes. [. . .] I just love running. What can I say?
P: Running is a very individual sport, and when you go to training, you’re pretty much only accountable to yourself and that’s similar to studying. How do you find motivation and a support system?
LS: I think, for academics, definitely my family has always really supported me. [. . .] I just want to do the best with the resources I have, the time I have, the abilities I have. I’ve just always been driven to do my best and whatever that looks like I’m okay with.
Track. . . yeah, it’s definitely individual. [. . .] I will say though, even though it’s an individual sport, you have your teammates out there counting on you, your training partners counting on you, and we all kind of keep each other accountable.
P: I know a lot of students get distracted by social media. Do you ever get sucked into that abyss or do you limit yourself?
LS: I definitely limit myself [laughs]. I feel pretty strongly about this actually. I have Facebook but I don’t have Instagram or Twitter or anything. I think that that is a huge obstacle to progress and success. . . kind of all the distractions we face as a generation. And I’m convinced a lot of people might find that if they’re able to put the distractions aside they might have a bit more success in certain areas. But of course I get distracted like everybody else. That’s I think a really important thing though to learn to have that discipline.
P: What are your plans for after you graduate?
LS: I’m not sure yet. I have about two more years. I’ll finish up in about five years. My goal for a very long time now has been med school. [. . .] I’m also considering physiotherapy or research as well but definitely further studies.
P: What interests you about medicine?
LS: Definitely the number one thing that draws me is the ability to just help people. To use your skills and your knowledge is really important, I think. I think having knowledge for the sake of having knowledge is just completely pointless. [. . .] Of course, I love science as well.
P: What do you do to unwind?
LS: [Laughs] A good run. A good run helps me unwind.
I’m a pretty boring person. Even though I don’t listen to “pump-up” music I do love listening to music. I love being with my family, hanging out with my friends, going to the beach, or something like that.
P: Do you have a personal motto or a kind of saying that you live by?
LS: I don’t think I have a single motto that I live by [. . .] No “YOLO.” No “Just Do It.” None of that. I would say, definitely if I have a motto, it would be something biblical. I find a lot of peace and kind of motivation spiritually in the Bible. Definitely there [are] some cool mottos in there, I would say.
