Jasdeep Singh Khaira

Captaining has taught me so much about leadership. My college team had some team culture issues – and our talent alone proved inadequate when it came to winning games and creating a strong culture. As a captain, I recognized this problem and implemented a series of new policies in an attempt to bring the players together and combat the issue. The planning and hard work eventually paid off big time, as we went on to make it to a conference tournament for the first time in 7 years. In 2018, I was honored with the Distinguished Leadership Award for my work. It was incredible to play such a major role in restoring the team culture, and that sense of accomplishment drives me in my everyday life to push myself and others to be better.

For me, the best part about music is its ability to make you feel different emotions and bring back memories. Drake's music has carried me through some of my most influential years. I started listening to him when I was in the 8th grade so, as you can imagine, I have a lot of memories and impactful life experiences that took place while Drake was simultaneously releasing new music. He's also known for his intriguing one-liners, and there are a ton of instances in my life that I can relate to some of his best.

It was life-changing. I was able to experience people, places, and things I never could've imagined. A particularly notable experience involved hiking on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, one of the top ten rated single-day treks in the world. The hike was awe-inspiring and the scenery was breathtaking. A highlight of the trek included summiting an ancient dormant volcano, then descending into the crater, where we found stunning emerald hued lakes turned green from sulfur exposure. While in New Zealand, I also took the opportunity to try surfing - even though I can't swim! Unsurprisingly, I became painfully familiar with the sensation of drowning that day, but it's an activity I'm glad to say I've tried!