–Here are the fundamental steps of surfing which were continually ingrained into my head over the course of the weekend.

1. Paddle 2.Lift Chest Up 3.Chicken Leg 4.Push Up 5. Stand

This past weekend, myself and other university students traveled two hours south of Sydney to Seven Mile Beach for Surf Camp Australia. For the weekend we were surrounded by enthusiastic surf instructors passionate about sharing their craft with inexperienced or novice surfers. The other students and I trained for a total of six hours over the course of the weekend, learning the surf board features, the fundamentals of standing up on the board, and how to perform a “surf check” to identify if the conditions are ideal. Though six hours may seem minimal in length, I quickly realized spending two-hour segments in the water was extremely strenuous on the body. The weather that weekend included scattered rain storms (luckily it never rained during our lessons), which made the surf rough and brought in strong currents. Walking back into the ocean from surfing to shore and fighting the currents was an immense workout, not to mention the arm and core muscles needed to paddle and stand up on the board. After two days of surf camp by body ached from head to toe. Surfing, though very fun, was a vigorous workout!

Surfing is woven into Australia’s rich culture and I have noted its presence in Australian society over the duration of my stay so far. Whether it was a surf championship taking place on Maroubra Beach, the beach just south of my home on Coogee Beach, the constant gathering of surfers shredding the waves on Bondi Beach, or surfers bringing their surf boards onto public buses, surfing is incorporated into the daily lifestyle of many Australians. Many of the surf instructors were native to Australia and had learned from a very young age how to stand up on a surf board. Other surf instructors came from all over the world such as Germany and Spain to pursue a career that allowed them to follow their passion for surfing, earn an income, and surround themselves with peers who share a common interest. The environment at surf camp was filled with pure enjoyment and the joy only increased as more and more surf students learned to stand.

One of my greatest takeaways from surf camp was not only learning the techniques needed to surf, but I witnessed the significance of a positive work environment. Though corporate careers are likely not going to be as laid back as a job at a surf camp, selecting a firm where you feel comfortable and can bond with your colleagues while working is a key aspect to enjoying your career. Firm culture and the people who work for the firm played a significant factor in my decision to sign with PWC for my upcoming summer internship, and this concept was further reinforced after attending surf camp.

This weekend was filled with wetsuits, many spills off the board, throwing up the universal sign for surfing – the shaka, and proud moments of surfing to the shore. I thoroughly enjoyed my time surfing and am passionate about surfing more in the future!!

 

Victoria Myers
Student, UConn School of Business
Hello UConn! My name is Victoria Myers and I am a junior accounting major with a minor in economics. In my free time, I play on UConn’s club field hockey team, volunteer for Big Brothers Big Sisters, and I am also a member of the UConn Consulting Group. A fun fact about myself is that I was born on Halloween; however, ironically, I am terrified of horror movies and the scary aspects of Halloween. View Posts