We all have something in our life that we spend so much time working toward, only to have it end at some point. This article is not for everyone- it is about the "what comes next" for the life of an ex-athlete. Whether your college athletics career ended by choice or not, many of us are in that stage of life. I am not talking about those of us that had the blessing of playing for those four magnificent years up to graduation, but those of us still on the journey there. Whatever your reason, know that there are many of us out there like that. Life is no longer the same.

You spend your entire middle and high school career dedicated to the sport to get that spot on the college team that you desire to be on, or the scholarship that helps to pay your way through school. Then you spend a year, two years, three years, waking up everyday at 5.00 AM for those morning practices, and almost every weekend traveling for games during your athletic career. From having no time in the world to yourself to then having to figure out the next step, or something that defines you other than the sport you played, the world all of a sudden seems much bigger. Gone are the days of having the teammates that you called your family, to having to make friends on your own. Everything surrounded and resulted from your experiences as a college athlete, and then one day you wake up and realize that you don't have to hit the gym all the time, or carefully plan your week around practice and games. Won and lost matches, scholarship and accolades, all fade into the background that we call the past.

Those years spent out on the field, or the course weren't for nothing. The memories, the experiences, the people that you've met- they've all happened in your life to help you shape who you are today. Your sport did that for you. All of that time spent practicing, and playing on the field- don't let it go to waste. Your talents are something that are not taken away from you even if you don't have the chance to represent your college team anymore.

Of course there will be the days that you miss your teammates, and even those early morning practices or workouts. You will be standing supporting athletes at other games, and remember how great it felt to be out there, making a difference and representing your school, and it will break your heart. Don't fall into that post-athlete depression. Remember, you are not defined by the sport you play, or whether you represent a team or not. You are defined by many things.

Now you have the chance to form a passion outside of sport. Maybe you have a love for photography, or you've always wanted to learn how to play a musical instrument. Use your time wisely, and find something outside of sport that makes you happy for yourself. Find a passion, or a hobby. The best part of this time, is that you still have so much opportunity to find yourself at university, and grow in ways that you've never thought possible.

Be excited about this new part of your life, and keep the motto that kept you motivated when you played your sport: "Keep on playing and keep your head up high". Keep fit, and don't give up on being healthy because it is still important to keep healthy for yourself. Be thankful of the times you had, and the opportunities that your sport has given you, because it is a blessing and an honor to represent your university.

"Hold fast to dreams, for if dreams die, life is a broken winged bird that cannot fly." - Langston Hughes

Keep on learning, and growing, because your dreams are what will drive your life and help you find new passions.