For my new @neeks93 followers:

I would like to be remembered as someone who was not afraid to do what she wanted to do, and as someone who took risks along the way in order to achieve her goals

This is a running list of what people probably see on the surface when they are first introduced to me…

The List:

🎼 Years of Piano ✅.
🥋 Black Belt in Taekwondo ✅.
⚙️ Mechanical Engineering Degree ✅.
🤽🏽‍♀️ NCAA D1 Water Polo @sdsuwaterpolo ✅.
🤓 Graduated @sandiegostateuniversity w/ Honors (Cum Laude) ✅.
✈️ Full Time Engineer ✅.
🏆4x 🇺🇸NQ Bodybuilder @teamtitanfit ✅ .
😳 Lost 50lbs to achieve sub 10% BF ✅.
🎁 Athlete Sponsorships ✅.
🎥 2 National TV Shows ✅.
📚 Published an Ebook ✅.
🎯 Created a Website (Neeks93.com) ✅.

At first glance, you’re probably thinking something along the lines of, “cool story kid, way to really toot your own horn.”

But the real reason I spelled all that out is to explain what really went down 👇🏼

The Real Breakdown:

🎼  I can read piano notes but I’m a one hit wonder (Titanic is my go-to).

🥋 I did get my black belt, but that took years and my final exam was 3 days long where I puked on the beach after being pushed that far physically, fought continually with guys double my size until I basically tapped out (it’s okay guys I had sparing pads on but both my parents had to leave the room since it was so tough to watch).

⚙️ I got my degree in mechanical engineering but had my fair share of failed midterms! Dear chemistry, electrical engineering, and differential equations 😭…I’m glad you’re over.

🤽🏽‍♀️ I played D1 water polo but play time was far from impressive and I felt let down for not making the travel roster COUNTLESS times.

🤓 Yes, I graduated with honors… okay, I’ll admit that this one was a miracle. Neeks Tip: Sit in the front row of every class & never EVER miss a class so professors remember you when you go to office hours!!

✈️ I eventually got a job as a full time mechanical engineer but before that, I worked as a intern for @djoglobal for a year and during that time, moved back in with my parents to save money .

🏆 I’ve qualified nationally in bodybuilding every time I’ve stepped one stage… but I’m usually in the tallest height class and there is way less competition. The truth is, if I went to nationals, I would likely get SQUASHED & that’s exactly why I’m in no rush to do so! I understand that muscle maturity takes time and at the moment,  I’m going to keep enjoying this sport and the entire lifestyle that comes along with it .

😳 I achieved sub 10% body fat and lost 50 pounds all thanks to my coach @chrisford_ifbbpro.  But even now, I still struggle to find balance living life eating normal and not always tracking! (It’s a work in progress and over time, it’s gotten so much better.)

🎁 Athlete sponsorships have come and gone and I’ve applied for many and had so many doors slammed in my face! That’s okay, you learn and move on. The point here is that companies won’t come knocking on your door, I’ve learned that you can always reach out, too.

🎥 Being on two TV shows has been amazing and I’ve been able to meet two very impressive WWE wrestlers (@steveaustinbsr @therock ) from them! No tough times here, just apply to as many as you think you are best fit for you and know that it’s likely you won’t get selected.

📚 I published an eBook with tons of errors and typos but had to get it out there and was so glad I finally did (a project like that will never feel like it’s ready and you just have to hold your breath and take the plunge.) Now, I’ve  just went back and fixed all the tiny spelling and grammar we had missed on that first take (thanks mom, for pointing out it’s the basal, not basil, ganglia!) and feel so great about it! It wasn’t perfect but I knew the content was there so my Neeks tip is to just pull the trigger and go for whatever you’re contemplating! (You can always fine-tune after)

🎯 My website is finally UP and has taken soooooooooooooo many hours of collecting data and info for my blog posts. My cousin (the real MVP) @csalehian has done all the graphics and editing! Forever thankful for her reviews, as I know this engineer should truly stick to math (I know my english, spelling, and grammar is awful.)

TLDR:

I hope this explainer adds a little insight on some of those “highlights” from my life! Bottom line, the #struggle is what often gets lost on social media because it’s natural for us to only share the positive points of our life. In reality, those same struggles are what end up shaping our character and our journeys more than anything else. 

So remember to take a quick reality check every moment, and when you see my posts, remember that I’m no different from any one of you…I always like to say I’m AVERAGE at best. 💕