The 2021 Senior Perspectives is the 16th in a series of annual collections. Senior captains and representatives of teams at Harvard have been invited to contribute viewpoints based on personal experience from both their senior seasons and full varsity careers at Harvard.

Hugo Milner
Hometown: Derby, United Kingdom
Concentration: Environmental Science & Public Policy
House Affiliation: Dunster

I remember when I was first accepted into Harvard and everyone told me how the experience will be the best four years of my life. When I first stepped foot on campus, I never could have imagined how the next few years might progress. I arrived late at night after flying from the U.K. and was full of nerves and anticipation for what lay ahead. I had no phone data to contact the head coach of my arrival and the Harvard Wi-Fi is ridiculously difficult to log into. I resorted to standing by the John Harvard statue asking passers-by if they knew where I could find Jason Saretsky? After some strange looks from people, I eventually made contact with Jason by using a police officer's phone. I stated that I was in Harvard Yard next to a statue and a few minutes later, I saw a man running with a slight panic across the path in front of me. I politely shouted "Jason!" and waved in the hope that it was him, which luckily it was. This was the very start of my college experience. From the individuals met, the stories created and the challenges faced, it has all been part of the journey. It is only now that I can reflect on my  time as a student-athlete and realize that it really has been an incredible experience, full of ups and downs.

Reflecting on my collegiate running career evokes mixed emotions. During my first year I adapted well to the new training and surroundings after a few chaotic and eventful first few weeks. I found myself performing to early expectations in both cross country and track competitions. However, in my second year I developed an achilles injury, which put me out of action for the whole year. It was extremely difficult during this time to remain patient and positive about the situation. I just wanted to contribute to the success of the team and fulfill my potential. Regardless of this difficult circumstance, I never lost motivation and I worked even harder to combat my injury to return to competition.

It was only when I started to find my feet again that the coronavirus pandemic developed across the world and put an early end to my collegiate career at Harvard. I had ambitious targets of setting school and Ivy League records, winning titles and competing on the national stage, but I never had the full opportunity to achieve these aims. I feel that I have not been able to show my true capabilities and I often think how unlucky myself and the rest of the Class of 2021 are to have the final year disrupted in this way. I acknowledge that this unprecedented era is completely out of my control and I am comforted by the fact that every opportunity I have taken has always been given my best effort.

Upon reflection I have realized that success is not always about achieving perfect performances. It is about being the best version of yourself as possible. I am proud of how I have grown as a person and learnt from my mistakes and weaknesses over the years. I have developed a strength of will that allows me to persist, even when the challenge seems overwhelming. A significant part of my accomplishments are down to surrounding myself with likeminded, dedicated and supportive teammates that helped shape and progress my development.

Harvard Athletics has shown me the power of sport and the influence it can have on so many lives. What makes this experience so special is that I have obtained one of the best educations in the world while simultaneously competing for a top NCAA program. I will be forever grateful for my time at Harvard, and I look forward to supporting future teams as an alumni. Thank you to all the coaches, trainers and teammates who made my experience unforgettable.