It is a world removed from the image of Paul O'Donovan raising his arms in triumph on the latest podium as the national anthem booms out.
The 28-year-old is sitting in his UCC student accommodation when we speak on Zoom.
O'Donovan is known countrywide and beyond as one of Ireland's greatest Olympians, a status that the long-haired rower cares little for but is expected to consolidate in Paris in under two years time.
READ MORE: Fintan McCarthy: How Paul O'Donovan and I can row for more Olympic glory after 2024
But away from all that he is happy in this world, too - the one that, all going to plan, will see him finish his medical studies next summer. He will be Dr O'Donovan then.
The celebrations didn't last long after the latest World championship success achieved by O'Donovan and Fintan McCarthy in Racice a week ago today.
Medical studies wait for no man and, for the moment, O'Donovan is in the Mercy Hospital on Leeside full time, where he also spent a few weeks last year. His role changes, but for now he is shadowing an intern.
"We are attached to an intern on one of the teams, and we see the jobs and the actual work that will be required of us next year when we graduate, so that we're comfortable with that," he explained.
"It's practising a few bits and pieces. Rather than just learning the facts and information for exams, it's the practicalities of the work that's involved. It's good."
It provides a flavour of what he can expect when he does become a fully fledged doctor.
"You're never on your own, really, in the hospitals, all throughout your training," he reflected. "There's always teams and someone you can call on.
"But it is getting closer now, yeah. Next summer I'll be finished up and starting work.
"It goes by pretty quick, like, once you're stuck into it. I quite enjoy the learning as well though in school - it's not like I'm kind of in a rush to get out the gap."
Has anything he has observed so far in the wards been an eye-opener to what lies ahead?
"There's nothing that stands out as eye-opening, but as a student you do see anything that comes in the door," he replied.
"It's not like they kind of hide stuff from you."
Rowing can be an escape from that but, equally, his studies are an escape from rowing at times.
"The two complement each other quite well," he remarked. "All the studying gives me a break from thinking about rowing all day, every day.
"And similarly the rowing, after doing a long day studying, you can go away and do your training and take your mind off that for a while. So it's good.
"From rowing you just build up quite a big work ethic generally because you need that to do all the training, and when you bring that to study then you can apply yourself quite well and for a long time.
"You're quite self-critical as well, so it all works in tandem."
Yet it is remarkable how O'Donovan has managed to balance both sides of his life.
It was just over four years ago, having completed an honours degree in physiotherapy, that he began his medical studies as a recipient of a Quercus Sport’s Scholarship from UCC.
He was already an Olympic silver medal winner with his brother, Gary, at that stage and while it is now McCarthy who partners him in the lightweight sculls, O'Donovan hasn't stopped winning - save for McCarthy beating him in the single sculls in the nationals earlier this summer!
But for a period this year there was a real prospect of him missing out on the Europeans and Worlds due to his studies.
However he did return for the Europeans, having done just over half of the work he would have done before winning Olympic gold in Tokyo, and the taste of victory in Munich pushed him on to compete in the Worlds, where the duo won again.
O'Donovan is 28 now but, unlike in many other sports, getting older can be an advantage as a rower. His Ireland team-mate Sanita Puspure turned 40 last year but still won bronze in the Worlds with newcomer Zoe Hyde.
This summer's championships saw an influx of young rowers to the Team Ireland set-up who were, undoubtedly, inspired in part by O'Donovan's own exploits on the water.
He is quick to praise their emergence, but does it make him feel he's getting on a bit?
"Me? I am old, I am old," he laughed. "But not down and out. Not yet anyway.
"But I'm sure some decent young guys will beat me now soon and I'll be forgotten about, but I'm sure that's just the way life is, isn't it?
"I don't think you feel a target on your back. You're going out to be the best that you can be and if someone comes along that's better than you, there's not much you can do about that."
The chances of that happening are slim to none for a long time to come.
The lightweight sculls pair from Skibbereen continue to rule the waves and, all going well, will be hot favourites to win back to back Olympic golds.
Paris is in his thoughts, though not prominently. Next summer is what counts now - those medical finals and the next Worlds, which double up as Olympic qualifiers.
"It's going to be somewhere in your thoughts. The closer you get to it, the more it features," he said.
"At the minute the main goal would be to finish this year in school and be sure to pass all my exams.
"After that there's a few regattas next summer and at the end of the summer, the world championships is on. Hopefully we qualify for Paris and we can think a little bit more about the Olympics after that."
Post-Paris, Ireland's dynamic duo will have a new challenge to take on. Their category is being phased out for LA '28 and McCarthy is keen for O'Donovan to join him in the heavyweight ranks.
"That's something I'd definitely be considering, for sure. That's always been the plan, really," O'Donovan revealed.
"I wasn't really perturbed at all that the lightweights were going after Paris. But heavyweight guys are much bigger and stronger, which is an advantage in rowing.
"For sure, it will be harder. I don't know if we weren't weight restricted ourselves how much quicker we would be. It's something we'll have to try and see and find out at the time how big a step up is required.
"It would be something new. But it's still a good way off."
This week the National Dairy Council launched the next phase of its campaign – ‘From the Ground Up’ featuring athletes Paul O’Donovan and Vikki Wall. The campaign highlights the hard work and commitment required by top athletes and dairy farmers to be top of their game.
READ NEXT:
Brian O'Driscoll tells Late Late of photo album that had him back in the gym
'Look at the medals': Aidan Walsh says it's business as usual for Irish boxers despire IABA unrest
Irish jockey Rossa Ryan pushed off his horse by jockey rival Chris Soumillon
Get the latest sports headlines straight to your inbox by signing up for free email alerts
