As well as other athletes from different delegations, recently, Monica Puig from Puerto Rico made history. Puig won the first gold medal for Puerto Rico. She also became the first puerto rican female athlete to win an Olympic medal and, she became the first athlete to win a medal in tennis. As a proud puerto rican and as a tennis enthusiast, I watched the game from start to finish. Just when I thought I was under control, emotions started to take over. So here are the 10 stages every one went through in the Olympics, especially puerto rican watching Monica Puig in the final match.
1. You sit down.
As the event is about to start, normally, people sit down very pumped to enjoy the presentation of the team or athlete in the current event.
2. You start to get up every five minutes.
Whether its for celebrating or when the nerves start to take over, you get up every time as an excuse to relive "the stress"... Its a cycle because yo go from sitting to standing or vise versa from zero to 100 real quick.
3. The “walking around to calm down” stage.
As the event is in progress, you figure out getting up every 5 minutes isn’t the solution to your nerves, so you start to go back and forth. To the kitchen and back, to the bathroom and back and so goes on…
4. The screaming stage.
The screaming stage happens when suddenly you stop to take a breath and your delegation either won or lost, made a point or made an unforced error, it doesn’t matter which one, you scream to let it all out and that's when very neighbor can hear your screams.
5. Time to pray.
It’s the halfway mark and you start to pray to God that he comes down from above and help your athlete win.
6. You get very frustrated.
Even though your athlete may be winning you get frustrated because who doesn’t? It’s the nerves people... #dontjudge
7. For some inexplicable reason you start jumping.
The event is coming to an end and you start to jump because you think that will definitely help your athlete out. If you are not this type of person, don’t ask why, but it’s a common thing. Just try it and you will understand those who do it. Its kind of like a way to cheer on.
8. Yep, believe it. It's time to pray some more.
Its neck and neck, it's anybody’s game at this point, so it's time to bring the seven gods into this. You start to pray to the seven gods and to those who aren’t gods that they help your athlete out.
9. Cursing time has begun.
Just because the nerves are still very present, you start to curse everything and everybody around you, it’s a bad thing but it helps you get inner peace.
10. Lastly it's all over.
This stage can go in different ways. But one thing is for sure, whether your delegation/athlete won or lost, you feel prouder than ever of your country. Just the thought of them getting to the Olympics amuses you.
