The transition from high school to university marks a major change in the lives of many students, requiring them to develop the ability to adapt to a new environment—from the increased academic difficulty to time management, including classes, studying, and extracurricular activities. In an interview with DEEC, Simão Ribeiro, a student in the Bachelor's in Electrical and Computer Engineering (LEEC) and an athlete on both the National Team and the National University Team in Archery, spoke about the challenge of balancing academic life with competitive sports.

Despite the difficulties, I’ve always managed to make time for both archery and my studies. Giving up was never an option.

Simão Ribeiro, LEEC student

Being a very active child, his parents encouraged him from an early age to practice sports. At the age of 8, he discovered archery—a sport he has now practiced for 11 years at Sociedade Euterpe Alhandrense (Vila Franca de Xira). “The feeling of hitting the target for the first time has stayed with me to this day,” he says, noting it was his main motivation to keep going. After three years of training, he began competing in both indoor (18-meter targets) and outdoor (70-meter targets) categories, encouraged by his coach: “I thought the competitive side wasn’t for me,” Simão recalls. Today, he holds four national championship titles (two in each category) and three runner-up titles. This year, he became champion in both categories for the first time.

Simão recently made his international debut as an athlete, which coincided with his first year of university. Since February, he has competed in tournaments in Samsun (Turkey), Sofia (Bulgaria), Rhine-Ruhr (Germany), and Catez (Slovenia). He highlights that the biggest difference compared to national competitions, which he enters every year, is the higher level of difficulty, with elite-level athletes. Having faced moments of nervousness, driven by the desire to achieve top results, Simão points out that gaining experience abroad pushed him to reflect on his performance: “The biggest lesson I took from that was that I need to keep working,”—a mindset he also applies to his studies.

Even in stressful situations, nothing is lost.

Simão Ribeiro, LEEC student

Managing anxiety, focusing on individual effort, and setting priorities are the key aspects Simão identifies as common to both sports and academic life. Over the course of the year, he has learned to adjust his routine, balancing training and study hours. Sports taught him that even in situations of disadvantage or difficulty, it’s possible to reach goals—whether that means a good result in a competition or submitting an assignment on time. Applying concepts learned in his degree, he explains that achieving optimal results requires organization and the use of methods, both in time management and sports practice: “Archery is a sport where over 50%, more than technique, is mental.”

That’s what both Técnico and archery have shown me over time. I was very happy to realize that Técnico and sports were teaching me the same values.

Simão Ribeiro, LEEC student

Simão also points out that he applies knowledge acquired in his Electrical and Computer Engineering courses to better analyze his performance: “In archery, we are, after all, launching a projectile. The analysis we can perform is quite valuable—especially for someone with a physics background—because it helps us understand not only what adjustments need to be made to the equipment, based on the projectile's impact, but also what might have gone wrong in terms of movement.”

Although he initially feared that the time required for training and competitions might negatively impact his academic life, Simão emphasizes that he has always had support from his family, friends, and professors. He has maintained his interest in both his studies and in archery. “I really enjoy both the sport I practice and my degree. I’m very happy and could never give up on either. (…) The professors have always helped me.” When asked about the future, he says he plans to continue competing and, after graduation, work in the field of electronic engineering.

As the new academic year begins, and remembering that a year ago he was also starting this new chapter in his life, Simão leaves a message for students:

Especially for those coming to Técnico in a similar situation to mine, with much of their time already committed—whether to sports or another activity—above all, take a deep breath. It is possible to balance everything with university.

Simão Ribeiro, LEEC student

Photos: FISU and Simão Ribeiro