Nicholas was born in Manhattan and raised on Long Island, where he learned to swim when he was four at Nu-Finmen Swim Club in Nassau County. He joined the Nu-Finmen team soon after and competed for the club at numerous Junior Olympics in the age ranks, primarily as a butterfly and medley specialist. For his junior and senior years of high school, Nicholas moved on from Nu-Finmen and joined the more competitive Long Island Aquatic Club, before graduating and going on to swim at York College CUNY. While he only competed at York for a semester, Nicholes transitioned to teaching swimming throughout his college years. He is currently a Studio Art Major at York College, where he specializes in Graphic Design and 2-D illustration/animation. Some day, he plans to make his own art-focused YouTube channel and work in the animation industry.