Every night you come back from practices that last for hours in the cold winter air. In the shower, you count the numerous bruises and minor injuries that have accumulated on your arms. Afterwards, you lay across your bed just for a couple minutes to let your exhausted muscles rest. You get up, finish your homework, and get some sleep. You wake up the next day for your 8 a.m class, and it’s time to start the process all over again.

This is the life of numerous college athletes all across the country, and it’s been my life for the last 5 months. I don’t want to come across as if I’m complaining– being a college athlete is one of the most rewarding parts of my college experience– but I do want to share some of the challenges and struggles I’ve noticed so far, and what I’ve learned from it all.

Like any college student, I usually have a ton of work and reading to do every night for my classes. It’s easy to fall behind in class, and not falling behind requires a lot of discipline. One thing I noticed is that you really have to make the time to get your homework done. You can’t just assume you’ll have time during the day– you have to dedicate a specific amount of time in your routine to sit down and get your work done. 

Most coaches understand how important schoolwork is, so mandatory study hall is something you can expect if you’re a part of a sports team. However, that often isn’t enough time, and it’s up to each individual athlete to finish their work.

Another thing I’ve realized is that when you play a sport in college you can’t “afford” to take a day off, whether it be a day off from school or a day off from your sport. Even if you’re having a bad day, or you just aren’t feeling it, the expectation is that you’re still in class, and you’re still at practice. This is one of the hardest parts of being a student athlete, but it’s taught me discipline and how to handle adversity.

Finally, the most important thing I’ve learned is that while it is paramount that you stay on track of everything, getting rest is also very essential. When you know you have a lot on your plate, it can be hard to take a step back from all of it and just take some time to breathe. Oftentimes I feel as though I can’t afford to rest, or take time off.

Lately I’ve been trying to remind myself that it’s okay to unwind, to not think about lacrosse or school at all. I find it’s a lot easier to handle my responsibilities when I give myself the time to take care of myself.