Emoryathletics.com continues its senior spotlight series with a look at cross country and track & field student-athlete Michelle Ly.
Name: Michelle Ly
Hometown (HS): Bakersfield, CA (Stockdale)
Sports: Women’s Cross Country, Track & Field
Major: Neuroscience and Behavioral Biology
Q: How did you start getting involved with cross country? How old were you when you started running?
I became involved with cross country my sophomore year of high school. I started running when I was a freshman, where I decided to join track and field! My long distance teammates convinced me to join the cross country team after track ended.
Q: Do you have any current plans for after graduation?
I’m taking a gap year to gain state residency (I’m from California) so I can apply as an in-state applicant to the veterinary school over at UGA.
Q: What is one piece of advice you would give to your freshman self?
There will be moments where you doubt your capabilities. Welcome these feelings. Know it will pass…you've worked hard and are deserving of so many good things! Do not be afraid to reach out to professors and peers for help. Remember that your peers doing well doesn't mean you can't do well…both can happen at the same time. Help each other out; your classmates are working for a better future along with you, just in their own way.
Q: Which Emory faculty or staff member has made the greatest impact on you and why?
Anil Shetty over at Pre-Health Advising. He made the biggest impact on me because he reaches out to connect with students and is genuinely interested in getting to know you as a person, not just as a pre-health applicant. He is also very articulate in expressing his gratitude and does it constantly, which left a big impression on me because not many people show their appreciation for the little everyday things.
Q: What is one class would you retake just for fun and why?
Intro to Papermaking at Oxford College—it was extremely stress relieving and was a great hands-on way to explore the artistic community at Emory.
Q: What is the most unique thing about your hometown?
My hometown has been described as having one of the poorest air qualities in the U.S.
Q: What is something that people may not know about you but should?
I’m actually a very extroverted person and love to be around others, but this extrovertedness usually comes out more with the people I have grow close with.
Q: What is one professional athlete (past or present) would you like to have a conversation with and why?
Gabriele Grunewald. I would love to talk to her about how she was able to find courage and be brave in her struggles with her cancer as she continued to practice long-distance running.
Q: How have you been trying to occupy your time with given the current COVID environment?
Making time to do activities I’ve been doing less of during college: reading leisurely, trying out new recipes, spending more time outdoors.
Q: Food you hate that everybody else seems to enjoy?
Probably dairy; I prefer the non-dairy alternatives!
Q: What would you say are your top three movies or television shows of all time?
Movies: An Inspector Calls, Room, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe
TV shows: The Haunting of Hill House, Westworld, American Horror Story
Q: What is your favorite thing to do around Atlanta?
Trying out new food places.
Q: What has been your most memorable moment during competition during your Eagles career?
All the moments I heard my teammates cheer me on.
Q: Favorite non-athletic moment from your past few years at Emory?
Times where I get into the zone and end up spending hours on end at the library getting work done.
Q: What would be one thing you’d like to impart to the underclassmen before finishing your career?
Whenever you are going through a hard time, please remember you’ve survived 100% of your worst days. You’re doing better than you think!