THE reality of the Covid-19 pandemic can hit you hard as budding squash player Siow Yee Xian quickly found out.
The 19-year-old was all set for a good year ahead after taking up an offer from the prestigious Ivy League - Yale University last year.
The Melakan, a two-time Asian Junior champion and a quarter-finalist at the World Junior Championships last year, however barely managed to complete his first year due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
"The first year in Yale was quite an experience to say the least. The squash team there did take care of us and it was really a lot of learning how to be more self disciplined," said Yee Xian.
"Unfortunately the year didn't end so well as Covid-19 came and a lot of things got cut short.
"The school told us in March to leave campus. I had to pack my bags and leave the very next day," added Yee Xian who has been back in Malaysia ever since.
Now Yee Xian has made the tough decision to delay his trip to the United States for his second year.
In fact he will only resume his second year studies next year, and focus on squash with the national team for the time being.
"It was a tough decision but health and safety was a cause for concern," said Yee Xian.
"I did have the option of continuing my second year term here in Malaysia through online classes. But I wasn't very comfortable with the timing as I had to be up in the middle of the night for live classes and that is why I thought taking a year off would be the best decision for me now.
"I still want to keep up my squash career and that is why I am trying to ease myself back into the training programme with the national team.
"Everyone has improved so much in the time I've been gone and I certainly have a lot of catching up in order to get myself back to a good level of squash."
And Yee Xian will be out to show what he's made off as he's entered himself for the National Championships from Oct 6-11.