In our first installment of Day in the Life of a Titan, we spoke with Charly Anguiano, a junior and member of the men's soccer team. This series is designed to take a look at how our Titans have been living throughout the pandemic and dealing with all the challenges that come with that.

Regarding Anguiano specifically, he is a midfielder for the men's soccer team, and took some time to talk to us about how he's been adjusting to his new lifestyle amid the pandemic. He shared that he is not only the oldest of 3 siblings, but is the first person in his family to attend college. Now that he's moved back home to Los Angeles, he's been able to spend quality time with his family, especially his little brother with whom he enjoys working out with throughout the week.  

As news of the pandemic broke throughout campus, Charly took us through his experience as a student athlete during this time. He said that the administration and coaches were concerned with their player's safety above all else, giving them some guidelines to stay healthy and protect each other from spreading the virus.

"The coaches insisted that we didn't rub our noses or faces on their jerseys or infect the equipment, and that we immediately washed their hands after practice and disinfect," Anguiano said. "Only a week after that, though, all practices and workouts were cancelled."

With no clear return date, the uncertainty and limitations continued to escalate. That was in February, and then in early March all collegiate operations were shut down completely.

"I was shocked that it was canceled, really," Anguiano said. "And I really didn't think that the fall would get messed up because of it either. But we're all working through it."

Back at home, Charly has been getting used to his new normal and gave us some insight into what his daily life consists of.

"I wake up, eat breakfast, and gets the day started with a morning run, followed by a workout with my brother," Anguiano said. "The athletic trainers and strength coaches sent us workouts that we can do from if we're able to. I've been doing them throughout the pandemic, really. It's some type of workout every other day and consists of upper, lower, and full body with dumbbells and body weight. It's a good workout, but it's not like being on campus in the weight room."

He then devotes his time to class and school work from 1-5 pm daily, and has a very clear schedule set out to stay organized.

"After I finish with school and homework and my workouts, I usually go to the park and play pick-up soccer games with some friends that live near me," Anguiano stated. "I really love going to play and it's important to me, it keeps me going. I lost my grandpa to COVID-19 and it's been really hard for me. So playing a little bit every day helps me clear my mind." 

Certain aspects of Charly's transition to being back home were a bit easier for him than others, as the switch to remote learning was something he had experienced in high school in doing online classes. But transitioning from practicing with teammates and being on campus was much harder.

"I miss being around my teammates," Anguiano said. "We spent a lot of time together, working out, practice, study hall, so yeah, it's hard not seeing them."

With very limited things to do, he has found a way to stay positive and keep himself busy and looking forward. 

"I've been staying connected to the guys through a group chat we have on Snapchat," said Anguiano. "We do the best we can to stay in contact."

In terms of coming back to campus for the voluntary workouts, him and his teammates are putting a lot of thought into the decision.

"I'm not sure what I'm going to do," Anguiano said. "There's a lot to think about because if we get sick, we could miss a lot of time. Like months. And if we have a season in the spring, then I don't want to miss that. I'll talk to my coaches some more and we'll see what happens."

Thank you for joining us this week for a peek inside Charly's life, and stay tuned for more exclusive interviews with our resilient and inspiring student athletes!