TACOMA, Wash. - Pacific Lutheran University women's swimming student-athlete Marri Kutz decided to escape her fourth gloomy January in Tacoma by taking advantage of a J-Term study away program to the Caribbean nation of Trinidad & Tobago along with teammate Lindsay Smith.
 
Besides studying to be a nurse, Kutz is also on the PLU women's swimming team. She believes her training as a student-athlete, where she has little time to adjust to a new pool and environment before important races, helped her adapt to the unfamiliar culture on the island of Tobago. 
 
"I was able to fully appreciate and adapt to the new environment that I was in and learn the most that I could," Kutz said.
 
Through the social work course in Tobago, Kutz learned and experienced new environments and cultures. Kutz said her biggest takeaway was, "learning to go with the flow," a mindset she believes facilitates more positive energy and openness for learning new things. 
 
Now back at PLU, Kutz applies the same thinking to her sport and classes. Some things are out of her control, but she can focus on maintaining an optimistic outlook and living in the present moment.
 
Her study away took place during a portion of the swim season, and although she was unable to train in a pool, she took advantage of her beautiful surroundings and explored Tobago on runs. Her favorite memory was hiking to the argyle waterfalls, which had a three-tiered waterfall and a place to go cliff-jumping.
 
"I highly recommend that all students try and get the opportunity to study away," Kutz said. "Not only is it a fun experience that I will never forget, but it also challenged my thinking and helped me see different perspectives."
 
Kutz and Smith were able to return to PLU and hit their stride, competing in the Lutes' final dual meet against the University of Puget Sound to cap off an undefeated dual meet season before both closing their careers by competing at the 2020 Northwest Conference Championships held in Federal Way, Washington.