College is hard with just the school aspect but once athletics are added to the mix a whole different type of difficulty is created. No one will say that playing a sport with school is easy but every one of them will say it is one of the most rewarding decisions they have made. It teaches you many lessons that carry on longer than the four years will. These lessons will stay with you in the work world and with all of life's biggest decisions. Some of the most valuable lessons that I have learned in my first two years from collegiate athletics are:
Time Management
Having the ability to manage time in the proper way becomes extremely important. There are days where a big chunk of the day needs to be given to your desired sport along with classes and homework so there needs to be the right balance in order to excel in each of those fields. This will be helpful in the work place when given deadlines and dates to meet, every athlete will know exactly how to react without getting stressed out or over worked up.
Stress Management
College alone puts you into a stressful environment from papers and exams to little homework assignments but once athletics are added to the mix there is a whole different pressure put on you. There is a pressure to succeed not only in the classroom but also on the field, court, pool, or whatever stage of competition you are put onto. Working out is a stress reliever but it can sometimes cause more stress when there is a huge assignment due and you have a two-hour away game the night before. To remain calm is the best solution in the situation. This also brings the time management aspect back into play because if you get your assignments done early then it will lead to less stress later on.
The importance of a healthy diet
With fast food options all around, whether it is when you drive past one or see a commercial for one, it can be hard to say no to those type of options but it is a necessity. Most fast food places have their menus riddled with high fat and low nutritional valued options, which are not the way athletes should be eating. A diet filled with protein, carbs, fruits, vegetables, and water is the best for athletes. It will make practice and games much easier and will make you feel better every day. Your body will thank you for choosing the healthy options. This will also make life easier as you get older since you are already used to choosing the healthy option rather than the dangerous one.
The importance of sleep
Sleep is key not only to get through the day in an efficient way but also to perform your sport at the best of your abilities. Nights where less sleep than necessary has occurred leads to poor performance and low cognitive levels. It is learned to value sleep as an athlete even if it means to stay in when all your friends are going out.
Ambition is good
It is OK to keep striving and to keep reaching for new goals no matter the time or effort it will take. Whenever you have a dream in mind take any steps that need to be done in order to achieve them. Every athlete has ambition at some point over the course of their career, whether it is to make a certain team or to want to make a starting position, they know the feeling of having drive. Ambition learned from the field will cross over to the work place to strive to make it to the top.
