Being an athlete comes with all kinds of perks: free food, free gear, free hotel rooms. It's not always rainbows and butterflies, but it is always worth it. There are things that happen on and off the court, field or rink that non-athletes just won't understand. So, if you're an athlete, here's to you, here's to me, and here's to all the joys we receive.

1. Food.

It’s normal to eat as much as we do. Promise.

2. Ice baths.

We hate them, but we love them.

3. Social life? What’s that?

‘Nuff said...

4. Getting “treatment.”

Never trust them when they tell you it won’t hurt.

5. Class, practice, eat, homework, repeat.

Same, Squidward. Same.

6. Morning practice.

Morning practices are the bane of every athlete’s existence.

7. Sweatpants, T-shirt, tennis shoes every day.

If nothing else, it’s an excuse to be lazy.

8. Sleep? Never heard of it.

Shout out to sports for my addiction to coffee.

9. Pre-season.

I don’t even like the idea of writing about pre-season.

10. The joy you receive when there’s no conditioning.

I think the gif does a better job explaining this than I could.

11. Teammates, friends, family.

There’s a special bond between athletes that few people can understand.

As tiring as being a student-athlete is, 99 percent of my joy has come from being an athlete. The lessons I’ve learned, the memories I made and the family members I’ve gained are all thanks to a sport I never knew would mean so much.