Jonathan Nottingham, Men's Tennnis
Jonathan Nottingham is a senior on the 2022-23 men's tennis team.
The Philadelphia, Pennsylvania native is majoring in information systems (IS).
Jonathan was recently asked to share thoughts on his collegiate tennis experience and life as a CMU student-athlete.
What would you like to share about how your Tartan tennis career has helped shape your college academic experience?
Being a part of the tennis community has been an experience for which I will be forever grateful. Although there are many things I could point to in order to showcase how valuable my time on the team has been towards my college academic experience, by far the most rewarding has been the bonds I've been able to form with my teammates. I consider myself very fortunate to have been teammates with some incredible friends and mentors, ones who have shaped both my overall college experience and my success during my time at CMU. I had a very difficult time adjusting to college when I first came to CMU as a freshman. I was taking more challenging classes than I could handle and was very much in over my head, which eventually began to take a toll on my mental and physical health due to stress, lack of sleep, and just not taking good care of myself in general. During this time the help and support I received from the upperclassmen on the team and how much it truly made a difference in my life cannot be understated. From ensuring I was eating well and getting enough sleep to helping me manage my time better, to even tutoring me and helping me understand concepts in my most difficult classes, my teammates helped me manage and survive what would have been an otherwise overwhelming and terrible time. At the time they were just being good teammates and looking out for me, but for me, it was the difference between learning how to adjust to college versus just being completely miserable. I've found that this level of tight-knit camaraderie is a common theme throughout my experiences on the team, and if anything, I'm just very thankful for that culture of looking out for one another and always having each other's back, because it's truly been one of the best parts of my college career.
What has been a memorable tennis experience?
My most memorable tennis experience at CMU was probably during my first year when I had the opportunity to clinch a dual match against Swarthmore as the last match on the court with the score tied 4-4. The match went deep into a third set and the atmosphere was both exhilarating and nerve-wracking with everything on the line and both teams watching. I came dangerously close to losing a couple of times but was ultimately able to pull through with the help of my teammates' support. Being able to clinch an important match after such a tumultuous time on the court and celebrate that victory with the rest of the team was a truly unforgettable experience. However, I would also say that some of my most memorable experiences have come from rather ordinary and forgettable circumstances, such as pulling shenanigans on bus rides to and from matches, spending nights in hotels with the rest of the team, or just hanging out during downtime between matches. It's quite easy to take these moments for granted in the moment but looking back on my four years on the team I think it's these moments that truly bring the team together and have ultimately brought me the most joy.
What student-athlete exposure have you taken advantage of during your college experience?
In the fall of my junior year I broke my knee. At the time I had high aspirations for my junior spring, which were immediately put in jeopardy at the prospect of a 4-6 month recovery period. Although I was determined to come back to the team as soon as I could, part of me had already accepted the possibility that I wouldn't be able to play that season. Given these circumstances, I was incredibly lucky to have CMU's strength/health programs at my disposal. I fully relied on the help of the strength and conditioning staff (shoutout to Rosie Cheng) for my physical therapy in the months leading up to and at the start of the spring season, which was necessary for regaining nearly all the strength that I had lost in my left leg. Although there were quite a few struggles and bumps in the road throughout the season with my recovery, I was able to fully heal and return to the starting lineup before the end of that season, something that I would not have been able to do without the guidance and assistance from the strength and conditioning staff.
With your final season approaching, what do you aspire to achieve?
I certainly have a couple of specific goals for athletic achievements I hope to attain before graduating, however, at this point in my tennis career I regard these as secondary. I think one of the most prominent challenges of being a student-athlete at CMU for me has been figuring out how I want to mentally prioritize tennis in the healthiest manner possible while having to balance my academic and social life as well. In the past, I've definitely put too much pressure on myself at times to perform well or reach other benchmarks, which in hindsight distracted me from some of the best aspects of being on the team. My ultimate aspiration for my final season is to not get too caught up in the frustrations of the sport and to not let my results on the court distract me from fully appreciating my remaining time with my teammates. There will still be many tennis-related and results-based goals that I will strive to achieve, however, even if I do not reach all of them it is important to me that I do not take my final months of competitive tennis for granted. Even in our most successful years, the best part of being on the team is the time that I'm able to spend with the group, whether it be navigating the ups and downs of the seasons, cheering my teammates on, or just having fun on and off the court. If I can do all that I can to promote the best team culture possible and continue to pass along all of the help, support, and mentorship that I've received in my time here to newer members of the team, then I will consider my final season a resounding success.
Turning to academics, what classes do you believe have contributed to your academic development the most?
There are several classes within my major that have been very instrumental in my academic development, however, I would say the most enjoyable aspect of my major has been the opportunity to craft meaningful relationships with my IS professors. Even in classes where I've struggled or the teaching style wasn't the best fit for me, I've been able to learn a lot from getting to know my professors on a more personal level. Regarding classes outside my major, I would say the most impactful class was one that I was a teaching assistant for - Introduction to Data Structures, a CS course in Java focusing primarily on data aggregates, data structures and their implementations, as well as relevant algorithms. Being a TA not only gave me a much more comprehensive understanding and appreciation for the material offered in the course but also gave me a new perspective into my passion for teaching and helping others learn, something that I hadn't been fully in touch with prior to that experience.
Did you have an internship that helped shape your future?
My internship following my junior year was a remarkably unique experience. I applied to and chose to participate in a work-abroad program through CMU called Technology Consulting in the Global Community, through which I worked for the government of Palau as a technology consultant for their National Ministry of Human Resources, Culture, Tourism and Development. While I gained some very valuable work experience during my assignment with the ministry (which primarily focused on delivering a software alternative to their current permit management system, which was outdated and inefficient), I think the most valuable part of my work was learning how to work best while managing a completely different work culture than what I was accustomed to. Additionally, the opportunity to live in a different country for a couple of months provided me with a multitude of fun and worthwhile experiences, from experiencing Palau's incredible natural beauty firsthand to befriending and playing basketball with the locals every day.