Jordan Kenery, 19, kinesiology major, is a star track athlete with only three years of training under his belt. He races the mid-distance events, which consist of the 800m and 400m.

Just like most student athletes, Jordan lives a busy schedule juggling practices, schoolwork, a job and a personal life.

Kenery starts his days early, waking up at around 6:30 a.m. to get ready for school and fuel himself with a hearty breakfast. He has in-person classes Mondays through Thursdays at De Anza until 10:20 a.m., and stays on campus until his practice starts at 2:30 p.m.

In the few hours between his classes and practice, Kenery settles down to complete his homework and studies. Practices last about two to three hours every weekday, except when there are meets.

Post practice, Kenery recovers and treats his injuries in the De Anza athletic trainers’ room. After he gets home, he sleeps at 10 p.m., ready to start again early the next morning.

Fridays usually consist of meets, home or away. A day before Kenery laces on his spikes for a big meet, he likes to stay home, listen to music and relax his body.

Kenery doesn’t tend to share this often, but he enjoys watching motivational videos to inspire him before a race.

On the weekends you can find Kenery putting in the extra work and training with his uncle, Marcus Romo, a former D1 track athlete from De Anza, who is his mentor and biggest inspiration. Sometimes Kenery will even go on a long distance run before practice.

In Kenery’s free time when he isn’t at school, practicing or working at “In-N-Out”, he tries to clear his mind and stay relaxed. Kenery enjoys hanging out with his friends and spending time in nature: usually fishing or hiking in San Antonio.

Kenery is a firm believer in the saying “balance is key.”

Him and a few friends on the team will often gather at their teammate’s house, Nate McCay, 19, Psychology major, who cooks burgers for them every few weekends.

A key factor to being a successful De Anza student athlete, according to Kenery, is being able to stay relaxed.

“Don’t stress out too much. Stay focused on your goals. Dream big and eventually, one day, you’ll reach it,” Kenery said.

Kenery spends his Sunday evenings meal prepping for the rest of the week.

He said, “it’s cheaper, and I don’t have to worry about cooking during the week.”

Being a student athlete comes with its stresses, but finding that equilibrium like Kenery is vital to being both successful and content.