The perks of being a student-athlete are incredible. In every stereotypical high school drama TV show, the jocks are always shown as the center of attention as they rule the school. The comradery and the stigma behind a big game has everyone placing athletes on a pedestal with their slight moment of fame. Although playing a sport can be beneficial to ones fitness and social skills, being a student-athlete is not always glamorous. The long hours of training in tandem with arduous hours of studying can be difficult to manage while trying to keep your social life relevant as well.

1. Sorry, I can't. I have (insert sport here):

This is the one of the hardest decisions you have to make as an athlete. Do I go to the party or to practice? Yes, this could be a difficult choice that you have to make, but you always make the right decision. It can be frustrating, but missing that party can help you in the long run.

2. Managing school work with your sports schedule:

Having to go straight from school to a practice or game and then coming home to hours of homework and studying is a nightmare that us athletes constantly have to deal with. It is imperative for us to use our time efficiently and take advantage of free periods throughout the day.

3. Hearing people with no extracurriculars complain about the work load:

This is by far the most frustrating and irritating thing a non-athlete can do. With no extracurriculars on their plate, one might think that they have endless hours of studying and school preparation. Many do not use their time properly and it upsets me to hear someone complain how they didn't have time to complete the given work. Many student-athletes stay up until the early hours of the morning to complete their work.

4. Finding random bruises all over your body:

You never know where they are from, but you always accept it.

4. Running in general:

When non-athletes hear me complain about running, they always seem a bit puzzled. Running after a ball on purpose is completely different than just running. While running in a game, you do not think about all the running you do because it is for a purpose. While running fitness tests or on the treadmill, all you can think about is running, which is awful.

5. Seeing people genuinely shocked when you decided to look nice:

At times, it is appropriate to hang up the sweats and reach deep into the back of your closet for something a little bit nicer than your average workout clothes. Some people are amazed when you decide to put some effort into your appearance for once and think you look astonishing. I guess this isn't a bad thing after all...

Although these struggles seem like an uphill battle, we somehow manage and wouldn't change our lives for the world.