Farquharson won bronze in the women's singles luge on Feb. 10 in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy

NEED TO KNOW

• American bronze medalist Ashley Farquharson tells PEOPLE how she balances her sport and studying business
• Farquharson, a “firm believer in hobbies,” says training for the Winter Olympics has been “not necessarily a distraction, but a side quest almost”
• “Having something to focus on, that’s also making me a more well-rounded person, I think has helped my athletic career as well,” she says

American luger Ashley Farquharson has a lot on her plate.

The 26-year-old athlete, who won bronze in the women's singles luge on Feb. 10, tells PEOPLE she took time off from school to compete in the Winter Olympics.

"I actually start classes again a couple days after I get home," says Farquharson, calling the "little sabbatical" she took "worth it."

As she's been preparing for the Games in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Farquharson, a business student at Purdue Global, says, "It's honestly been a nice — not necessarily a distraction, but a side quest almost."

Her classes work "in 10 week intervals," says Farquharson, "so the last 10 weeks, it just lined up very well where it covered almost the entire racing season."

"And I was like, I'm just going to sit this one out. I'll come back," she explains.

The California-born Olympian, who moved to Park City, Utah with her family when she was two, is a "firm believer in hobbies," she tells PEOPLE. "So, just having something to focus on, that's also making me a more well-rounded person, I think has helped my athletic career as well."

Farquharson is well-known in the Purdue community. "Sometimes, I don't even tell them because I'm in a lot of Purdue Global ads, so I feel like people just see my name and they'e like, 'Oh, it's that girl,' but sometimes in my classes, it'll be like, "describe something from your work life," and I'm like, 'Well, on the trampoline the other day….,', it's very un-relatable."

Between now and when she starts classes again on Feb. 25, Farquharson is planning to "see some family and really chill out."

Farquharson's family members, including older brother and fellow luger Jake, were all in attendance to watch her win bronze in singles luge on Feb. 10, and the Olympian jokes with PEOPLE that she feels like they're "constantly crying" while supporting her in Italy.

"No, they had a great time. It was really unbelievable," she says.

"I think my family getting to watch with my older brother, he can offer such personal and unique insight into what's going on in the track and on the sled, so I think that was really fun for him and really cool for them."

As for life in the Olympic village, Farquharson says, "There's nothing else like it."

"We're all here for the same reason and the same goals and it's a very unique experience," she continues. "Having people around you that are just as motivated and disciplined and driven, I think it really does make us all better and lift us all up."

To learn more about all the Olympic and Paralympic hopefuls, come to people.com to check out ongoing coverage before, during and after the games. Watch the Milan Cortina Olympics and Paralympics, beginning Feb. 6, on NBC and Peacock.

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