The Common Application, supplements, letters of recommendation, and anxious days waiting to find out college acceptances: all of these are things that Perene Wang ’19 does not need to stress about during the 2018-2019 academic year as a senior. In April 2018, during her junior year, Wang committed to the University of Chicago Class of 2023, starting in the fall of 2019, as a member of its tennis team.

Wang started playing tennis as a hobby when she was eight years old and began playing competitively at the age of ten.  These days, she practices four days a week for two hours every session. With several away competitions each month, Wang enjoys meeting other tennis players from around the country, making friends, and learning about their lives in different states.

Although traveling may be exhausting, Wang appreciates the fact that this is an opportunity not a lot of her fellow students may have.

“Tennis has taught me that it’s fun to win, but accepting loss makes you stronger and better prepared for the real world,” Perene Wang ’19 said.

“These tournaments brought me to a lot of cities where without tennis, I probably would never have had a chance to go,” Wang said. “Playing and meeting girls from other parts of the country who have different game styles, ways of talking, food, and even fashion, is such a great experience.”

After the 2018 January National Winter Championships, Wang was contacted by the coach from the University of Chicago, who required a preliminary read of her transcript and SAT scores. Her scores exceeded their expectations, convincing the school to offer Wang a spot on theUniversity of Chicago Phoenix tennis team.

“I fell in love with the school and was ready to accept the offer at the end of the visit. I was so excited that I couldn’t even put it into words!” said Wang.

Wang is not the only one in her family who competitively plays tennis. Her brother,  Lantis Wang ’18, played on Bronx Science’s Boys’ Varsity Tennis team throughout high school and will continue to play for Tufts University as a member of its Class of 2022.

“It’s great to play the same sport as my brother, because it gives us a closer bond, and it is a whole family event. We truly understand what we go through while we are alone on court,” said Perene Wang.

Over the years, Perene Wang has learned not only about tennis itself, but also how to apply her lessons from tennis to her life.

Wang said, “Tennis has taught me how to conduct myself, hjow to make rational decisions, and how to be able to check my emotions. On the court, there are no coaches or parents who can help, so I have to be able to handle things myself. This is a great life lesson that translates from court to life. Tennis also taught me that it’s fun to win, but accepting loss makes you stronger and better prepared for the real world.”