Alysa Liu stayed up until 7 a.m. the night after winning her second consecutive U.S. title in January. Not because she was celebrating – the 14-year-old had homework.
She stayed up until 4 a.m. the following night thinking her additional homework would be a breeze, but it was much more challenging than she expected. Unlike winning her second national title, she told media.
“It’s different because it’s my second time around at senior nationals,” Liu told NBCSports.com. “But still just as exciting.”
She finished algebra and biology before the championships, but there was one subject that she put off. For help staying awake through the nights, she chatted on the phone with a friend back home in California.
While in Greensboro, the Junior Grand Prix Final silver medalist spoke with members of the media about looking ahead to the junior world championships.
The event takes place this weekend in Tallinn, Estonia and will stream live on the ISU YouTube page. The women’s short program begins Friday at 3:45 a.m. ET, and the free skate is Saturday.
This conversation has been edited for clarity.
Why did you stay up so late?
Liu: My Chinese homework’s pretty hard. Each lesson consists of two to four essays that I have to write. Took a while. But the last one had two essays and two tests. I had a total of seven essays to write – in Chinese – and then I had to do four quizzes and four tests.
Is that normal for you?
Liu: I don’t think I’ve ever stayed up that … early, I guess. It’s not staying up late. It’s staying up early! I think I only stayed up until 2 a.m. before, on New Year’s.
What’s your favorite class?
Liu: I would say Chinese, but it’s so hard. I’m good at it. I’m OK at it. I used to be fluent in Chinese when I was younger – like really fluent. I keep opening my notebooks from first and second grade. I’m like, how did I get almost all of this? I can understand everything, basically, and speak it. My accent’s not good at all. I can read and write some, still working on that.
Then I stopped for five years. I did seven years of Chinese school, about, and then stopped for five years and I’m doing it again. I’m very slow at writing in Chinese. I’m like, wait, is that stroke supposed to be there? Nope.
So, it’s rusty but it’s coming back.
Liu: Some of my lessons and sessions I have to do, I have to do voice recordings. My teacher’s saying my pronunciation is good, and my dad [who is from China] is like, no, that’s not good at all![laughter]
Looking at junior worlds, you saw a lot of those skaters at the Junior Grand Prix Final. Are you taking any notes from that into this competition and, if so, what?
Liu: Yea, I guess. I really want to just focus on my programs. Try to do better than nationals at junior worlds … I don’t really think about the score, I just want to do a really good program.
Have you started thinking about music for next season? Since you now have kept the same short program for two seasons.
Liu: No, not yet, but I think soon though. … I really enjoy doing this short program. I’m not sick of it. It was actually my idea to keep it.
MORE: Rudy Galindo on second life in skating and working with Alysa Liu
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