Where is your hometown and what's it like?
I was born and raised in Toulon, a small town situated in the southeast part of France between Marseille and Nice. Generally known for its seaside resort, the weather is relatively nice all year round, which I learned to appreciate even more since I returned home last March. It is also known to have a large naval base, essentially making our local economy work by itself. I feel very privileged to live in this area because if you love nature, then there is so much to discover between the seacoast and the surrounding mountains, and the vineyards.
When did you start playing squash and did you play locally or in other parts of France/Europe?
I started playing squash when I was six years old, but I had already been playing tennis since the age of four. My dad is a squash player, and so I remember sitting on a bench behind the squash court and watching my dad play with his friends. I was curious about this very fast-pace racket sport and asked him to join the local squash school. I first played tournaments locally and then won my first French Individual Championship at the age of 10. That's when I realized I wanted to spend more time training, exploring my abilities, and improving my game. I played my first European event at the age of 11 and then, I gradually played more national and European events. The squash community is relatively small compared to the other sports, which means that you get to meet almost all the players and ultimately create life-long relationships with friends that share the same passion for the sport.
How did you first hear about Harvard or become interested in attending? Had you been to the United States before your first year?
I went once to the United States before my first year, that's when I had my official visit as a potential recruit, so needless to say I did not know anything about the U.S. academic system, the culture, and the campus environment apart from what we can see in Netflix series.
Nonetheless, U.S. College Squash is well-known in the squash community around the world and attracts foreign players every year. Some of my friends that I met while playing European tournaments had already made the choice to attend college in the U.S. and so, they inspired me to look more seriously into this opportunity. I have always wanted to become a professional squash player, but I have also attached a lot of importance to my academic interests and so, it was just not possible for me to sacrifice one for the other. Ali Farag '14 was also an inspiration for me, having graduated from Harvard and then becoming World #1 a few years later. When the coaches first approached me, I did not believe being a Harvard student could even be a possibility. Yet, in France, being a student-athlete is not part of the academic culture and so, I believed going to the U.S. would be the best option to pursue both my squash career and my academics. Ultimately, the official on-campus visit was an eye-opener. From that moment onwards, I was working towards one thing: to be accepted!
Were there any culture shocks for you when you were settling in?
Yes, many! The French and U.S. cultures are very different in many various aspects and I believe I was lucky enough to have very supportive and understanding teammates by my side to help me navigate things on campus during the first few months in the Fall. I have also relied from the very first weeks on the Harvard College French Club to stay connected with the other French students that may experience the same challenges. Despite the overall culture shock, I felt like I adjusted pretty well, and I don't have any bad memories really about my first few weeks on campus. I think that the most troubling thing was actually experiencing a culture shock when I returned home! That's when I realized how much I changed as a person while being on campus, how my mind started to change from French to English self-talk, and how my French dramatically became worse.
What's it been like taking classes remotely this year?
To be honest, the pandemic was a good opportunity to reconnect and spend more time with my family, my sisters more particularly. It also gave me time to reflect on my experience at Harvard, my long-term goals, appreciate every moment I got to spend with friends and the family. Of course, in the Fall, there were lots of adjustments to make from time difference to having to find and share a study space with my sisters and obviously lots of uncertainty about taking classes remotely online more generally. But I had a really good experience overall. My professors were supportive and adjusted tremendously well to online classes.
Is there anything from home you're appreciating more with the extra time there this year?
Well, I am really attached to my region and to what it has to offer. I got to spend time hiking, walking along the seacoast, swimming, and enjoying the nice weather. Although HUDS is doing an amazing job, I've got to say I missed the food here in France a lot. As cliché as it sounds, the bread, the cheese, and the delicious meals my parents cook every day are what kept me happy during this pandemic!
What's something you're looking forward to when you're able to return to campus?
Being home really made me realize how much fun I had during my first two years on campus. Being independent, sharing a suite with friends, having discussions with professors, training and competing alongside my teammates are the things I am most looking forward to when I'll return to campus this Fall hopefully.
