So I was a high school athlete. Nothing special, just an average 2 sport athlete. In high school, my teams were my everything. Now that I’m in college, I’ve had to face some struggles in regards to the lack of sports in my life. So if you’re like me, and most of your high school stories revolve around funny things that happened in practice/games, this article definitely applies to you. Here are six struggles that every “used to be” athlete encounters after high school ends.

1. Actually having to work out

In high school, we had practice for two hours after school, and on weekends. We didn’t have to worry about going to the gym, running, lifting weights, etc. We got our conditioning every day without trying.

2. Not being able to eat whatever you want

This goes right along with number one. Because we were constantly working out, we could eat whatever we wanted. We were young, our metabolism was pumping, and we could get pizza after a game seeing as how we just sweat our butts off for a couple hours.

3. Sometimes feeling as though you’re “stuck in the past”

Don’t worry, you are not alone. You are not stuck in the past either. It’s just hard to completely block out a huge part of your life. There is nothing wrong with telling stories about high school sports, just try not to abandon making new memories in the present.

4. Taking recreational games way too seriously

This is something we’re all guilty of. Getting way too competitive is natural instinct. From church leagues to pick-up games, you MUST win.

5. Watching your teammates and friends move on and improve without you

This is a bittersweet moment for all of us, and it usually happens the first time we visit home and watch our old teams play. Seeing the younger teammates step up and be leaders is such a great thing, but also very sad, because a part of us wishes we could still be there.

6. Having terrible joints

And last but not least, something I know we can all relate to. Not being able to run without ankle braces is always fun, and something you’ll most likely have to live with for quite a while. You can thank the four years of careless, scrappy, performance for that.

Yes, it was a great time in our lives, but it’s time to make new memories and crazy stories. High school sports will forever have a spot in our hearts, so there’s nothing to be sad about. We may have to deal with these struggles, but at least we don’t have constant bruises and scrapes on our legs and elbows anymore.