There quote from the Super Athlete, Mia Hamm that reads "somewhere behind the athlete that you've become and the hours of practice and the coaches who have pushed you is the little girl who fell in love with the game and never looked back.. play for her" I'm sure you've at least heard it once from a coach or parent when you felt like you were at your breaking point. I know personally that this has applied to my life in the past few weeks more than ever. A student-athlete at the collegiate level can have a pretty full load and it can get more than overwhelming if you let it. Here are some things that I've found successful even in my first few weeks of college, hopefully, they will help others out there trying to get this adulting thing together!
1. Make a planner
Between practices, homework, tests, games, tournaments, mandatory study hours, and the many more demands of a student athlete, it's important to have something written out to keep you on track. If you want to get really fancy use different colors for each activity. Starting your day with a written out plan will give you a sense of structure and it will keep you from wondering what books need to be thrown in your car along with your bat bag, and the 9 million empty water bottles that cover your floorboards.
2. Pack your lunch
If you are like me and decided to give yourself only enough time to sprint to each class/practice,you probably realized within the first week of classes that there's not time to go to the student center and grab lunch. As much as we would like to believe that a protein bar between lectures will fill us up, we've got, to be honest with ourselves and figure out this whole "eating on the go thing". Our morning workouts and evening practices are meant to be exhausting and a proper 3 meals a day with a million snacks in between are a necessity to be successful and have the energy we need to make it through the week.
3. Make some "me" time.
Whether it's a 15-minute nap or a walk around your campus find something that you genuinely enjoy doing that is stress-free. clearing your mind and taking time out of your week to just blow off some steam is so incredibly important. I've found walking around campus or going on a jog has done wonders and has kept me from exploding. Literally, sometimes I feel like I'm going to explode and what would I get done if that happened? That's right. Nothing. I would get nothing done. It doesn't have to be every single day it could be once a week or once every two weeks or whatever you want to do. you get the point. Again, I stress to you that this is INCREDIBLY IMPORTANT life is short and believe it or not college is supposed to be one of the best times of your life so don't take your "me" time for granted.
4.Get close with your team
There are two types of freshman on a team, the one that is terrified to step on any toes and hardly talks, this person tends to be a nervous wreck. All of the time. Then there's the freshman that comes on way too strong and appears to not know their place, that's not good either. It all boils down to a couple things: Work hard, be friendly, be honored to play with these people who know the game and know what they're doing, if a returner tells you to do or don't do something, listen to them! 9 times out of 10 they have your best interest in mind and want you to succeed. What you need to quickly realize is that you're on a team, you are now a family and you will be spending a lot of time with these people who know the ins and outs of the school and sport. They can be a huge help in transitioning from being a high schooler into an adult attending college. You're not in this alone so don't isolate yourself, help is a wonderful thing!
5. Don't forget what got you here
I can't speak for all athletes but my parents are my #1 fans. Whether it's your mom and dad or a coach who shaped you into the player you are today, someone saw you at your worst and supported you through it. Don't ever forget these people and their importance. A simple phone call to your mom or dad or a quick text to a former coach can make a huge difference when you're feeling down on yourself or when you just need a good pep talk to get through the day. While you may have moved on to a new chapter in your life these people have helped you get there and can help you get through some of your most stressful moments! Hang in there and don't forget why you're here!
