Most people find it daunting being a college freshman: new places, new people, not to mention dropping from the highest spot on the totem pole in high school to the lowest in college. It practically feels like starting your life over. During my first week at Robert Morris University, I've learned that there are many principle differences between the high school and college settings.

For example, the academic requirements are more vigorous, time management becomes your own prerogative, and there is no one here to force you to do your work, study, or go to class. It's all up to you.

Though there is an abundance of major adjustments from a high school career to a collegiate one, the purpose of this article is not to explain what every single college freshman will inevitably discover, but rather to offer a different perspective.

I started my college career with a signed contract to play women's fastpitch softball in the spring season. However, despite the main competition being only a one season affair, being a part of a collegiate team proves to be a year round commitment.

Only five days after moving on to campus and two days of classes we began the long cycle of training intended to shape us into the athletes we will need to be for the spring season. It consists of meeting after meeting discussing behavioral conduct, time management, and how to properly represent our team and ultimately our school with pride.

We are expected to maintain at least a 3.0 GPA, practice every single day, and endure a rigorous weight training and conditioning program three times a week. This is all on top of classes, social activities, and, of course, sleep. Playing a collegiate sport is essentially a full-time job, the only difference being that the payoff comes in the form of an education rather than a paycheck. So why on earth would anyone ever put themselves through this?

The answer to this question is simple. Every athlete deep down has an undying love for the game they play. The idea of laying down my glove and never playing the game again hurts worse than the soreness and the fatigue I have to undergo as a result of the intense training regimen. It is, put quite simply, the dream.

Everyone's reasons for choosing to play are different, but the reasons we all continue are the same. So regardless of my preconceived fears and expectations of what the college life as an athlete would be like, I've learned that the more challenging an obstacle seems to be, the greater the reward and self-satisfaction. After all, if we never pushed ourselves outside of our comfort zones, we would never reach our full potential.