You would think that being a collegiate athlete is so great because you get to travel at least once a week, if not more. You are traveling! What is better than that? It is glory for the first two weeks of classes because you aren't doing anything, but when week three or four hits, getting on a bus is that last thing you want to do.
1. 6 AM Practice
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You will end up spending all day on a bus so go figure your coach wants to have practice before you leave. 6 AM it is!!
2. Class After a 6 AM
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You make it through practice, everything is good. You think you can get in a small nap before class, and then when your alarm goes off it is all downhill from there.
3. 1 PM Departure Cannot Come Soon Enough
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Your bus leaves at 1 PM so you get to leave class around 12:30 pm. It is like the best thing in the world. You no longer have to think about anything, you can just sit on the bus and stare at the world.
4. Food On The Bus
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There is a 6 hour bus ride ahead of you so you might as well eat all the free food you can. I mean if your coach is buying it, you better help them out right?
5. Getting Comfortable
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Getting comfortable on the bus is literally impossible. A full grown athlete can not curl up into a ball to fall asleep across two seats. Not happening. I guess the floor is the only option...
6. Are We There Yet?
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Once you manage to sleep for a bit, you wake up and you are praying that you are only 20 minutes away. That is never the case though, you still have hours to go. Good luck.
7. Bus Activities
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No, no we are not having fun yet. We want off of this bus! Movies are great until you get bus sick, and playing that singing game isn't cool either, none of us can sing. LOL!
8. Dinner Time
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It is the golden moment we have all been waiting for...you get to step off of the bus for dinner! It may be at a restaurant or even a teammates home but either way it is off of the bus and good food. Dig in!
9. Bed Time
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We finally made it to the hotel, and you can either do homework for the classes you missed or go to bed. Who are we kidding? You didn't get any sleep on the bus, it is time for bed.
10. Packing Up the Next Morning
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PJ's, toothbrush, hairbrush, shoes, socks, travel gear, OMG WHERE IS MY UNIFORM?! Making sure you have everything the morning of your game is so important yet so stressful. Missing one piece of clothing or equipment could mean the end for you.
11. GAME TIME
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IT'S GAME DAY! GET HYPE! IT IS TIME TO KICK SOME BUTT AND COME OUT WITH THE DUB!
12. Back On the Bus
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You come out with the win and you are super pumped to go home, but dear lord you have to get back on that bus. Another six hours of misery. S.O.S.
So yeah there are great aspects of traveling with your team, but in general it kinda sucks. As a wise blue fish once said "Just keep swimming."
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