Nick Chen walks into the gym wearing the same shirt he donned in seventh grade, though now it fits more comfortably around his lean, muscular frame.

Four years prior, Chen was a self-conscious student struggling with obesity and social anxiety. Today, the junior is a confident athlete, a mentor to his peers and a prospective rower for the St. Louis Rowing Club.

“I can’t believe it’s been four years since I started working out,” Chen said. “It feels like I began just last year. I was morbidly obese,” Chen said. “I hated the way I looked and felt embarrassed being seen in public with my friends.”

This sentiment prompted Chen to explore the gym and work to better himself. He described his early gym experience as difficult as he adjusted to the unfamiliar environment.

“For the first two years, I didn’t know what I was doing,” he said. “I felt lost among all the equipment and routines.”

Despite the initial struggle, Chen persisted. By freshman year, his efforts began to show. 

“I started in seventh grade at 224 pounds,” Chen said. “By freshman year, I had lost 60 pounds. It was motivating—I thought, ‘Wow, I did that.'”

As his physical health improved, so did his confidence and social life.

“Before, I was super shy and socially awkward, but as I got stronger, I felt more comfortable in my skin. I started making friends and getting involved in school activities.” Chen said.

What began as a personal mission to lose weight evolved into a passion for fitness.

“Exercising is a habit everyone should get into,” Chen said. “It tests your commitment and rewards you based on the effort you put in.”

Chen’s dedication caught the attention of his peers, who began to look up to him and seek him out for advice.

“We met during rowing tryouts,” freshman teammate Angus Ramsey said. “Chen’s become a mentor to me. When we work out together, he’s given me a lot of tips. My bench press went from 125 to 155 because of his advice.”

Chen supported Ramsey not from a position of authority but as a friend, going out of his way to 

help him both on and off the water.

“He’s always pushing me to work harder,” Ramsey said. “Nick even meets with me on Saturdays to help me train, which I really appreciate—it means a lot knowing he goes out of his way to support me.”

Chen’s influence extends beyond individual teammates. Fellow rower and junior Aidan Maurer-Halquist highlighted how Chen’s work ethic elevates the team.

“Nick is the hardest worker in the room,” Maurer-Halquist said. “Seeing him push himself so hard during practice motivates me and the rest of the team to work harder, too.”

On Thursdays, during the rowing team’s workout days, athletes use ergometer rowing machines to measure their power and endurance.

“One time, Nick got injured and couldn’t finish his workout, but instead of going home, he came over to my machine, shouting encouragement and pushing me to keep going. His energy is contagious—it lifts the whole team,” Maurer-Halquist said.

Looking back, Chen never anticipated that he would become so invested in rowing.

“One of my close friends recruited me,” Chen said. “At first, I was skeptical because I didn’t know much about rowing. But after trying it, I discovered I was really good. Plus, rowing opens a lot of doors for college if you’re good at it.”

His athleticism, honed through hours in the gym and previous experience in sports like cross-country, translated well to the demands of rowing.

“Running cross-country helped my endurance and strengthened my legs, which is where most of a rower’s power is derived from,” Chen said. “But rowing requires a different level of mental toughness.”

A typical training week for Chen involves daily rowing practices and occasional exercises at the gym afterward.

“On a good week, I’ll try to get three days in the gym after rowing practice. It’s really hard some days, but the extra gym stuff helps. I go to rowing practice six out of six times a week.”

Chen emphasizes how mental resilience can matter more than just physical strength.

“Rowing is a super hard sport—you need to be a little crazy to push your body and endure the pain where it counts,” Chen said. “It’s about pushing past that point where your body says ‘stop’ and your mind says ‘keep going.’”

Despite his enduring mental fortitude, Chen occasionally struggles to develop the mental fortitude to endure his demanding training routine.

“There are days when I’m exhausted, but I remind myself why I’m doing this,” Chen said. “I set small goals, like improving my split time by a second. Achieving those keeps me motivated.” 

Junior Max Zeng experienced firsthand the intensity of Chen’s training.

“When I was at the gym, Nick dragged me to the rowing machine,” Zeng said. “After I finished 500 meters, I wanted to throw up. It’s honestly super impressive that he pushes his body to this limit and beyond every day.”

Chen invests all this time, effort and pain into the hope of one day competing for a Division I School.

“My dream is to get recruited to row at Princeton,” he said. “It seems like a far stretch right now, but if I work hard enough, there may be a chance.”

According to the Next College Student Athlete organization (NCSA), Princeton University is the second-best four-year rowing college for student-athletes, making admission one of the most competitive.

“Getting into Princeton is tough, and rowing there is even tougher,” Chen said. “But my family and coaches are supportive, encouraging me to keep pushing.”

Challenges such as having teammates quit rowing were difficult for Chen’s morale.

“What surprised me even more was that sometimes I felt a little jealous,” Chen said. ’They could relax while I still had to endure our rowing practices.”

Despite these setbacks, Chen maintained his intense dedication to rowing.

“I felt stronger knowing I was pushing through challenges that others chose to quit,” Chen said. “That feeling kept me motivated.”

For Chen, rowing has evolved into something greater than just a sport—a purpose that keeps him grounded and focused.

“Rowing gives me something to work for every day,” Chen said. “It’s a reminder that I can keep pushing my limits.”Through his steady pushing, Nick has been building his wall of medals.

His efforts have been rewarded with five gold medals, one silver and one bronze from four regattas. Additionally, he won the Midwest championship in the novice four-plus crew.

“Most of the time I spent in the gym, I was alone,” Chen said. “It reminded me of who I was doing this for—myself. You don’t always need someone there with you.”

Looking ahead, Chen believes that his potential is only limited by his willingness to work hard.

“As long as I stay committed, I can achieve much more,” Chen said. “I know the effort I put in is never wasted, and it will only lead me closer to reaching my dreams.”