Hi! I am a pro tennis athlete, completing premed at Harvard and majoring in psychology.
I am also a president and a founder of a research-based NGO (For Foundation ). Our focus is to help Poland's underserved and underrepresented youth get the mental health care they deserve. We define the underrepresented population as elite athletes, while underserved means school-age youth. Currently registered only in Poland.
A little about my tennis
Along the way, I was part of the Polish National Team, the 2nd best Polish Junior in the world classification, the best junior tennis player in her year among Polish tennis players in the ITF ranking, and the Polish Championship medalist. Official info can be found at International Tennis Federation (ITF) Profile(click here) or Womens Tennis Association (WTA) Profile(click here).
Since I turned 16, I've faced a series of injuries that sidelined me from playing full seasons of tennis. While life threw me curveballs, it also provided invaluable lessons that have shaped me. I consider myself fortunate because every setback has propelled me towards personal growth. Pursuing a psychology major has granted me profound insights into the mental hurdles athletes encounter, while my journey as a professional tennis player instilled in me the virtues of discipline and resilience. Thus, armed with my background in tennis and premed studies, I aspire to contribute meaningfully to the field of sports medicine, starting with my charity work and research efforts.
Elite sports hold my fascination for numerous reasons, but what truly resonates with me about my tennis journey is the firsthand exploration of the capabilities of the human mind. Tennis, to me, is a path of self-discovery, characterized by relentless practice. Alongside legendary athletes, I've had the privilege of training, witnessing their struggles, and observing how they tackle off-court challenges—all of which have been profoundly motivating. These individuals have become my idols, embodying the utmost respect in my eyes. This reverence stems from recognizing the uniqueness of each person and cherishing their perspective.
This mindset persists, influencing how I perceive the daily routines of athletes, scientists, and business professionals alike. Observing the diverse approaches people take to their work is a constant wellspring of inspiration for me. Whether it's on the tennis court, in the lab, or in the boardroom, performance often conceals a deeper reality. True lessons from champions unfold beyond the confines of competition. Witnessing individuals navigate their lives offers me a sacred glimpse into their world, for which I am deeply grateful to each person who has shared their time with me.
Furthermore, tennis provides me with stability amid life's uncertainties. The court remains a constant sanctuary, unaffected by external chaos. The timeless rules of the game offer a reassuring consistency amidst rapid change elsewhere. There's something addictive about the routine of professional sports—the familiarity, the rhythm. Tennis, in particular, has a poetic allure, with its fixed rules leaving room for infinite interpretations. While there are shared understandings, each player brings their unique experience to the court, enriching the game in ways both subtle and profound.
Regarding sports, I have had primarily two great mentors in my tennis career who gave me stability and motivation through thick and thin: Marcin Forys and Mario Trnovsky. Other people, I am grateful to are my mum, both my grandmas (who showed me what fierce female strength looks like), my therapist (Monika - for talking to me), and my conditioning coach (Mateusz - for showing me anew that there is beauty in strength). I also want to thank all those other coaches and tennis friends in my life who have met me along the way; you all contributed partly to who I am today, regardless of the outcomes of the sport at that time. Finally, thank you to my friends, with whom I do not spend nearly enough time (you know). Thank you.
Me having fun on court, pushing my limits
A little about my science interests
I am an undergraduate at Harvard majoring in psychology and pursuing premed (2023), where I found research and writing simultaneously joyful and challenging. In the future, I am interested in pursuing a graduate degree,, because I find research one of the pillars of moving forward as a human race. Something about discovering new things and filling gaps in our understanding of nature makes me feel complete. The relativity of our perception makes the research ever more thrilling because each human interaction contributes to collective understanding. Click here for updated info regarding my projects Research Gate (click here) or ORCID profile (click here).
Time passed, and I met great scientific mentors along the way (thank you, Dr. Ablon, Dr. Tokuhama-Espinosa, Dr. Karlupia, Dr. Thornber, Dr. Tucci, Dr. Matchacheep, and Dr. Sylvester) who helped me to discover new areas of my understanding of the world. Thank you.
A little about me
I love to stargaze, read books (astrophysics and the human brain are my favorite topics), and mountaineer in my free time. As for other things that interest me, I struggle internally with the concept of time in the face of human existence. The micro and macro-cosmos complement each other in my understanding of the world. Therefore, combining them when grasping the world's knowledge is only appropriate. Here is one of my favorite quotes that helps me to see the world through a different lens and conceptualize the fragility of time and human existence.
William Blake, in Auguries of Innocence, wrote:
"To see a World in a Grain of Sand
And a Heaven in a Wild Flower
Hold Infinity in the palm of your hand
And Eternity in an hour"
This quote captures our existential questions, gratitude, the joy of knowing, not knowing, and the vastness of time and the cosmos in four lines. This quote is the best description I have found that asks fundamental questions without asking them while showing appreciation for the world's beauty. Sometimes, less is more, and simplicity is sophisticated enough to understand the meaning.
Me doing one of my hobbies: mountaineering in Tatra Mountains
On the path forward, I will put the collection of thoughts in written form here. A reflection of the moments in life that are fleeting and, unless saved, will be missed forever. The sadness or betrayal will not feel the same today and tomorrow. The meaning of the perception of our emotions fades away. Each passing day is as precious as the next, appearing in the morning. As Tolstoy pointed out in the "Death of Ivan Ilyich," at the end of our lonely suffering, we all want to be just cuddled, regardless of the pain that we have endured. These existential questions all boil down to love and being loved. Although love is as abstract as the feeling of existential threat, it is tangible for those who feel it.
I will keep this website as a form of a journal that I could look upon someday. A snapshot of my thoughts will serve as a semi-private medium to ponder questions raised by life. By all means, I will strive to follow the advice of one of my favorite writers - Atul Gawande:
"My fourth suggestion was: Write something. I do not mean this to be an intimidating suggestion. It makes no difference you write five paragraphs for a blog, a paper for a professional journal, or a poem for a reading group. Just write. What you write need not achieve perfection. It need only add some small observation about your world" (p.255, Better: A Surgeon's Notes on Performance)
I will strive here to do just that. Add a small piece of observation to my world. It won't be perfect. It will be raw, but it will be mine to tell.
Welcome to the world through my eyes :)