So you’re done with another hard day at practice. You’re happy with your workout but you’re exhausted and all you can think about is relaxing and maybe grabbing a bite to eat with friends. But what about your history midterm on Monday? You know you’re not going to read 100 pages on Sunday night, especially after another hard practice. CM heard from some student athletes about what their game-winning plans are:
How do you balance your role as an athlete and a student?
“It’s all about staying on top of things and not taking too much time off. Like when I train, I can’t take more than a couple days off or else I start to lose it, I start to get lazy. Same with school; I just work at it every day so it’s manageable. Just be smart about it from day one because it makes life easier.”
-Bobby K., Senior > baseball player > Villanova University
“To be honest, every moment counts when you’re an athlete in college. I do a ton of my homework on the bus home from games and tournaments. Some of my teammates just sit around and talk, but seriously we don’t have time for messing around if we want to win, because it doesn’t matter if we win the championship but can’t pass Stats.”
-Amanda J., Freshman > volleyball player > Tufts University
“At the end of the day, I just work really hard to keep a balance in my schedule and make sure that I have my work done before the weekend. Everyone puts their homework off until Sunday but for me, that’s the worst. I don’t want to start the week stressed out. I want to finish on Friday, have a great weekend, and start the week already ahead of schedule. Don’t burn the candle at both ends. You’ll be happier in the end.”
-Marc F. Junior > sailing team > University of San Diego
Sounds simple enough right? Whether you’re a freshmen or a senior, there are plenty of ways to stay on top of things but sticking with the basics seems to work best; keep on top of your schedule and you’ll ward off stress. At the end of the day, you’re in the driver’s seat: will you succeed as a student and an athlete, or will you fail both? We both know you’re not a quitter. Stay sharp out there.
