Nathan Adrian chills out after collecting Olympic Gold

By Nicole Auerbach, USA TODAY

LONDON – Now that he's done swimming at these Olympics, Nathan Adrian has a pretty short to-do list: sleep in a normal-sized bed, watch the Olympics on TV and find a low-key pub where he can have a pint with friends.

After winning two gold medals and a silver, Adrian has earned the right to relax like that.

"I'm just kind of letting everything settle in," he told USA TODAY Sports.

Sometimes, what he's accomplished here in London sinks in when he's scrolling through his Twitter feed. Or, Adrian said, when he sees a medal count, "knowing I had a small part in that is really cool." (awww)

Adrian will bring his three medals home to add to his one gold from Beijing (from the 4x100-meter freestyle relay), and he said now that's he's got four Olympic medals, he will probably buy a safe to put them in. (lol that's a good boy. I wonder when Michael will start giving a fuck)

The 6-7 swimmer is staying in London — in a hotel, not his twin-sized bed in Olympic Village— until Sunday's closing ceremony. Rumors have been circulating that the Spice Girls will be performing, which Adrian said he's heard and is "stoked" about.'

After the closing ceremony, Adrian will head home to California.

"I'm going to do my best to sit and almost get bored after being so hyper-focused for an entire year," Adrian said. "It's time to chill out, relax and really reset. I'm not going to take that much time, but it'll be good."

Sometimes, he'll drive up or down the coast to give himself a mini-vacation in the form of a day trip. "It's so cool having that at my fingertips," said Adrian, who grew up in Washington state and moved to California to attend Cal-Berkeley in 2006.

Soon enough, though, Adrian will have to start focusing on training for Rio de Janeiro and the 2016 Olympics. There, he'll defend the gold medal he earned here in the men's 100-meter freestyle. In the most exhilarating finish of any swimming event of these Games, Adrian out-touched the defending world champion, Australia's James Magnussen, by one-hundredth of a second.

That was Adrian's first individual Olympic event — and these are his second Games — so he's been surprised that people are asking him if he's retiring after London. "Everyone's like, 'Are you done after this?' I'm only 23!" he said, feigning outrage. (good T_T i've already lost one, i can't lose another)

Training for Rio might be easier than it was for London. Now that Adrian knows what it feels like to anchor gold medal-winning relay teams and out-touch one of the best sprinters in the world, he knows what it takes to do it again. And he wants to do it again.

"It's ignited a flame of passion," Adrian said. "Being on top of that podium, obviously it's indescribable. To try to get back there is a lot of motivation." (aw just remember to hold your teammate's hand when it's offered k?)

Magnussen, for one, will also have a great deal of motivation to return stronger in 2016. After finishing second to Adrian by 0.01, Magnussen broke down during an emotional news conference, calling the loss shattering.

Magnussen's breakdown was even tough for Adrian, who was sitting a few feet away from him that night.

"I'm a pretty happy guy, and I want everyone around me to be happy," Adrian said. "It's kind of sad to see anybody's dream (crushed) like that. … But in order to have winners, you've got to have losers. I was happy to be on the winning side."

That thrilling victory opened a lot of eyes. Adrian said he's getting recognized by non-swimming fans, and he's received congratulatory messages from everyone who's ever had his cellphone number.

With 22-time Olympic medalist Michael Phelps retiring and his incredible hold on the sport lessening, it might be time for other American men, such as Adrian, to step into the spotlight.

After he gets some rest.

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Phelps, Locthe, Le Clos fans are totally welcome in here :) None for bitchass Clary tho kthxbai

Michael: Hold it, oh yeah!