As an athlete, I live a slightly different life than everyone else. And by slightly, I mean dramatically.
While the normal college student spends all of their time cultivating their grades, overall personal health and social life, my existence contains a fourth and debatably bigger aspect: my sport.
This part of my life is about a lot of things, including, but not limited to, my need to compete, my drive to win, my love for the game I play and my not so ulterior lifestyle that often defines exactly who I am. This lifestyle is constantly at the forefront of my mind, and I love it. It makes up a part of me that contributes largely to who I am, and its effects reach far beyond on the court, on the field, and in the gym.
Having said that, I've seen a lot of lifestyle articles that talk about someone trying something for a week and explaining exactly what happened. Some of them, like having your roommate dress you for the week are silly, endearing and interesting. Others, like going to the gym every day, sounded pretty familiar.
Which led me to do some exploring. Come to realize, a lot of people are trying to live our lifestyle piece by piece, even if only for a week at a time.
1. I Went To The Gym Every Day For A Week
I found this one late in the game, and it seemed almost too obvious to write about. But here we are.
Because even without the obviousness of practice and workouts on a daily basis, even our days off are usually filled with some kind of gym time, even if it's yoga and light cardio. We're programmed to be so competetive that when someone says "day off" we usually hear "day lost."
2. I Volunteered For A Week
Athletes, sometimes from as early as grade school, are encouraged to give back to their communities. We participate in 5k's, work at fundraisers and raise money to donate to people who aren't as fortunate as we are. We're looked at as role models for younger athletes, so we're held to a different standard.
At many colleges, their athletic departments have competitions to see which team can give back to the community the most.
3. I Didn't Wear Makeup For A Week
This one actually made me stop and think about when the last time I wore makeup during season was.
When you're in the middle of the season, classes are wearing on you, you've got practice in an hour and you've just finished a workout, your last thought is to reach for your mascara. It's not that we don't know how to use it or that we don't like it, it's just another thing that's going to run down our cheeks when we're dripping sweat from running sprints later.
4. How To Dress Comfy For Finals Week
Really? Just for finals week?
If I'm not running into class with a minute before it starts dripping sweat and still half in practice mode, then I'm in yoga pants and a T-shirt. And that's best case scenario.
Sometimes, there's just no time to run back to your dorm after practice and get showered and changed and look presentable. Sometimes, you decide that an extra half an hour of sleep is more important than wearing real pants. Sorry.
5. I Went Vegan / Cut Out Sugar / Drank A Gallon Of Water A Day / Didn't Eat Junk Food For A Week
Don't get me wrong here -- food is an athlete's best friend. We love food.
But when it comes to eating right, we're the masters of knowing when is okay and what is too much. Because when it comes to games and practices, it's true that you are what you eat. If you eat garbage, then you're going to feel like garbage. There's no two ways about it.
