Track standout Chowdhury also a star in the classroom

Jun. 15—Recently-graduated Andover track superstar Neil Chowdhury (class of 2023) discusses his academic achievements, and what it's like to be a student-athlete:

AGE: 18

FAMILY: Ayan Chowdhury (brother); Somi Chowdhury (mom); Kuntal Chowdhury (dad)

COLLEGE PLANS: Tufts University, Neuroscience

FAVORITE SUBJECT: Psychology. I took an AP psychology course as a junior in high school. Through performing Solomon Asch's line experiment in class, to fervent discussions on the ethics of Harry Harlow's attachment study, I became fascinated in the idea that every human thought has a biological basis. I plan on exploring this further through Neuroscience at Tufts.

BIGGEST MISCONCEPTION ABOUT BEING A HS STUDENT: The biggest misconception as a high schooler is the belief that it is important to be good at everything to be successful. Everyone has their own strengths, and high school is the time to explore different subjects, sports, communities, and people in order to find who you are as an individual. Trying your best, being open minded, and taking time to introspect allows you to pinpoint your strengths and weaknesses.

BEST ADVICE YOU'D GIVE AN INCOMING FRESHMAN: Manage your time. Teachers, coaches, club advisors, and family will assign you many things to do without talking to each other. There will be times where you are completely overwhelmed with work and responsibilities in your life, but it is important to stay positive and conquer each task one by one. Whether it be school or sports, personal issues, family, etc. it is extremely important to be able to plan ahead and prioritize in order to be successful.

BALANCE OF BEING A SUCCESSFUL STUDENT-ATHLETE: Discipline. It is essential to be disciplined as a student-athlete. Do your homework early after practice in order to get a restful sleep before your meet. Fight through exhaustion during early morning practices and late night events. Don't go to that party because you have an important meet the next day. Prioritize your mind and body each and every day, even if there are curve balls thrown at you in your life. It is okay to take days off when necessary, but keep them to a minimum in the grand scheme of things. True student-athletes stay true to their goals and routines, putting in the work each and every day to accomplish the tasks in front of them.

WHAT DOES 'SUCCESS' MEAN TO YOU?: Simply putting in the best effort you can and having fun in what you do defines success. It is very easy to get caught up in expectations and nerves, in any task ahead of you. Especially for me, I would put so much focus on college and others people's opinions rather than just being myself. Putting everything else aside, and simply being yourself and putting the best effort you can makes you successful. Rather than letting every other factor effect you, success is simply having fun and being content in what you have accomplished.

FAVORITE MOMENT AS AN ATHLETE IN: There have been many moments that have been memorable to me as an athlete. Winning the state championship, countless practices, team events, etc. have made my track and field experience unforgettable. If I were to choose one specific event however, I would choose my first race. I went into my first track season in a very difficult place. I had lost my grandparents months prior, and the uncertainty of Covid was extremely difficult to navigate. Furthermore, I had just been cut from the JV basketball team, and thus was not confident and uncertain about my own athletic ability. After winning that race, I was immediately surrounded with athletes from my own team with cheers. Sometimes all you need is to be wanted, and track gave me that. It became a community that I belonged to and truly cherished, and I can confidently say that that first race fostered me into the athlete I am today.

FAVORITE CHARITY: Alzheimer's Association. For many Sundays over the past several years, I worked with Alzheimer's patients at Academy Manor, an old-age home in my hometown. As I entered floor two of the home, I was always greeted by familiar faces who grinned back at me. Each day was something new, involving different mind stimulating activities and games with the patients. From music therapy, painting, simple arts and crafts, or small conversations, I helped bring some excitement and happiness to their daily monotone. Through the many weeks I worked at the home, I quickly learned to read their body language, stay patient, and speak in simple words and phrases to communicate effectively. Though the toll of their mental illness were apparent, the patients still had their personalities, remembering specific details which they loved the most. However, oftentimes they were not able to put their feelings in words, instead resorting to using gestures and body language to try and express themselves. I have chosen Alzheimer's association as my charity in hopes to help those on the second floor of Academy Manor, in my mission to make progress in the frontier of Alzheimer's research.

BEST ADVICE YOU EVER GOT FROM A COACH: On race days I become a very anxious person. I tend to freeze up at the line, overwhelmed with intrinsic nerves and expectations. Before the Andover Boosters meet this year, the Andover sprint assistant coach (coach Michaud) gave me a pep talk, calming down my nerves en route to my first sub fifty second 400m race. "You've put in the work" he said, "you just need to realize your potential. Just run. Don't focus on anything else. Just. Run."

MY HERO IS ... : My grandmother. For the last 50 years she has worked tirelessly in the New Delhi hospitals to help patients. At 77 years old, she still continues to do what she loves each and every day. She instilled this work ethic in me, as well as showing me true passion in what she loves. She is also the kindest person I know, always putting everyone else before herself. She is the leader of our family, the strongest willed and hardest worker of all the Chowdhury's.

IN 10 YEARS I HOPE TO ...: Be at the front lines of new neuroscience research. I hope to be able to conduct research for new behavioral and pharmaceutical treatments for disabilities such as Alzheimer's, dementia, and autism. I am extremely interested in working in a laboratory environment in order to pursue a new understanding of the disorders, as well as exploring new treatments in these areas.