The impact of varsity athletics on workplace drive and discipline
Nick Cahyono leveraged the discipline and drive he developed as a varsity athlete to stay motivated and excel during his work terms.
My name is Nick Cahyono (he/him) and I am a third-year Economics and Business student. I discuss balancing life as a varsity athlete, the value of discipline and how my co-op experiences helped me discover a passion for leadership and building things from the ground up.
Nick's co-op journey
Project co-ordinator, Indigenous initiatives, University of Waterloo’s Athletics Department
I supported the planning and delivery of events tied to the University’s Indigenous Strategic Plan, co-ordinating with campus partners and ensuring each initiative reflected community priorities.
Operational reporting and analysis intern, Definity Financial Corporation
On the Personal Insurance team, I built clear performance narratives for senior leadership, monitored the operational budget through variance analysis and helped translate topline results into actionable insights.
Q&A — Nick’s reflections
How do you balance a varsity schedule with co-op?
One thing people don’t really tell you coming into university is that varsity is literally a job on top of a job. After my co-op day ends at five, I go straight to training until seven. By the time I get home, eat and reset, I usually have one or two hours left before bed.
Because of that, time becomes very limited, and I have to be intentional with every minute I have. Every Sunday, I sit down and map out my week. I set my goals and prioritize what needs to get done. That helps me plan specific tasks for specific days, which is especially useful when I only have a couple of hours to work. It’s surprising how much you can get done when you know exactly what you’re working on.
Are there habits from training that translated to your co-op roles?
One thing that sports have taught me is the importance of discipline and working hard, even when nobody is watching. In my first and second year, I was on the football team and we had 6 a.m. practices a couple times a week. Getting up at five in the morning was honestly one of the hardest things I’ve had to do.
What varsity has taught me is that sometimes you have to put your feelings aside and just show up. You do the work even when you don’t feel like it. That’s what builds character. There’s also the idea of putting in work in the dark. Performance on the field or track comes from the work you do outside of the spotlight. The offseason is long, gets really repetitive and boring at times. But showing up every day and staying consistent is what sets one apart from the competition.
This mentality has transferred over into my co-op roles. There were times when I didn’t feel like digging into a massive Excel file or working through a complicated storyline, but varsity taught me that you got to just put your head down and get it done. Because if you don’t do the work, no one else will do it for you. The habit of showing up and working hard, even when it's uncomfortable, has definitely had an impact on how I approach my co-ops and everyday life.
How did your first co-op term prepare you for your role at Definity?
For my first co-op, I was a project manager for the Athletics Department where I focused on Indigenous initiatives. My first co-op was a new position, so there was no roadmap. I had to build the direction myself. Throughout the term I had to set my own goals and figure out how do I get to these goals? I found that the independence really helped me learn how to pace my work and manage my time.
At Definity, it was a lot more structured. Aside from my daily tasks, I was given projects to lead and I drew on what I learned from Athletics. I was very familiar with creating something from the ground up. That helped me ask the right questions early: What tools do I need? Who should I talk to? What does the path to the final result look like?
In the end, my first co-op taught me how to reach a goal even when the path isn’t defined. That made it so much easier to lead these projects during my time at Definity.
What is your favourite thing about co-op?
For me, my favourite part about co-op is meeting the other co-op students. At the end of the day, we’re all here to learn, and there’s something great about being surrounded by people in the same boat, but from completely different backgrounds. You get this shared experience where the goal is growth, but you also get to have fun while you’re at it.
At Definity, the culture of openness was also a huge plus. I had the chance to network with people across different teams who were very open to sharing their experiences and knowledge. Being in an environment where everyone was willing to help each other encouraged me to ask more questions, be curious and explore other career paths beyond my role. It made the co-op experience much more meaningful to me.
What have you learned as a co-op student?
My first co-op taught me the importance of setting goals and building those checkpoints to reach them. Because the role was so open-ended, I learned how to build something from the ground up and motivate myself, even when there wasn’t a clear structure or direction.
My second co-op taught me the other side of that. I learned how valuable structure can be in keeping your energy focused on the end goal. It also pushed me to stay curious and understand how things work on an intuitional level rather than just completing tasks.
I think these two experiences have helped me realize that while I appreciate structure, I thrive most when I’m taking ownership and building something myself.
What’s next?
This upcoming winter term, I’ll be returning as co-president of the University of Waterloo Public Speaking club, where I hope to continue building a supportive space for students to develop their confidence and leadership skills. I’m also heading into my third season with the varsity track and field team, with the goal of qualifying for U SPORTS in the long jump.
Looking ahead to future co-op terms, I’m interested in roles in strategy or consulting. I want to gain experience in larger organizations where I can learn how strong teams are led, how decisions are made and how effective structures are built. I would like to learn from the best. I’m a big believer of the saying, “You are a product of your environment,” so I want to surround myself with people who challenge me to grow.