Ariel Wang is a junior at Washington State and made a name for herself her sophomore year. Wang earned All-Mountain West Conference first team in the 400 IM, 200 back and 200 IM. This summer she competed in the World University for Taiwan. 

When did you first start swimming competitively? 

In second grade I started competing at small events, my first national meet was in third grade. 

What were your first impressions of Pullman? 

It is definitely different than anything I'm used to seeing from other places I have lived. I was born and raised in Taiwan, and it's really packed, and the population is very big. 

What's your favorite spot in Pullman? 

Roost and Neils are the two spots I usually go. 

They have a lemon pound cake that I have not had before. 

What is your favorite thing to do to unwind from school and swim?   

I like to bake and cook. Otherwise, I like to paint with my friends and swim with my friends that do not take swimming as seriously. 

What is your favorite thing to do with your teammates outside of swim? 

One time we had a movie night, we had snacks and were chatting. I enjoyed spending time with them. 

What was the biggest lesson you have learned since being here?  

The language, the culture, the people were all different, so I didn't feel like I fit in that well. Over time I have felt I fit in more comfortably, and i have learned that being alone is not a bad thing. Sometimes being alone can make you happy and it's a good opportunity to rest. 

What was your experience at the World University Games? 

When I went back to Taiwan I only trained with the national team for a month and it took me a while to adjust to comprehend the workouts and schedule, I needed to figure it out myself. I definitely felt the pressure of getting ready to compete in such a short time and I felt like I handled the pressure good.