By: Rodney Smith
Being an athlete in college is one of the hardest things a student can do. It’s a new level of time management, effort and lifestyle. Being an athlete in college brings you a whole new world of struggles. Imagine participating in a game at 7pm, 4 hours away and having to head home right after the game, getting back at about 4 am, then still having to make your 8am class that morning. This is almost an every-other week struggle for college athletes and there’s not much these students can do about it because school always comes first.
Now, although being a college athlete is stressful, it does come with benefits. Being a college athlete is fun and exciting because it’s an extension from high school. You get to travel to new places, see different things, make close friends and represent your school by playing the sport you love.
For struggling students theirs tutoring always available for athletes. There are set people out to assist student athletes when they either are behind or just struggling in general. In order to continue to play a sport for your school, you must make the grades, so time management when it comes to school work and sports is highly important.
Another trait to have when you’re a student athlete is time management. If you know you have a game coming up, it’s your job to get your work done prior to you being busy. This is the number one problem by athletes and students. Also, your time management when it comes to sleeping, eating and extra workouts are all also things that are important to being a great college athlete. “Being a college athlete is tough, I’m only a freshman and I know these next few years aren’t going to be easy but it could be worse” said Nalyssa Smith, freshman basketball player at Baylor University.
Lastly, staying out of trouble, do what you have to do off the field or court to maintain a spot on your athletic program. There have been many instances where students have gotten kicked off the team for dumb mistakes, don’t let that be you, do the right thing. There’s a huge target on your back so doing the right thing at all times is mandatory.
Going to school to further your education is something to be happy about, but going to school to also play the sport you love is an even bigger deal. Not everyone has the shot you’ve been given, so with that you should apply yourself to be the best you can be. Success is to be measured not so much by the position that one has reached in life, as by the obstacles which he or she has overcome.
Rodney Smith is a junior at the University of Saint Mary and is a Digital Communications major.
USM SPIRE-TIMES 