We all know how difficult it is to keep up with college classes. Time management is extremely vital in college, and we've all had to learn (probably the hard way) just how important it is to plan ahead for school. One thing I never truly realized until I arrived at Purdue was that yes, our athletes are students too. I can't even imagine being as busy as our D1 athletes on a daily basis, and I respect them greatly for that. To supply you Odyssey readers with some insight into our athletes' lives, I spoke with Ethan Hoeft, a freshman at Purdue University, who runs cross country and track and field.

Hoeft is an Indiana All-Star for track and field and a four-time state qualifier. Because of his significant accomplishments in high school, he decided to further his running career at Purdue University. His days are nonstop; he has 10 practices a week, not to mention his meets every Friday. Hoeft's hectic schedule consists of waking up at 7 a.m., many on-the-go meals from our dining courts, lots of stretching in his dorm room, studying hard with any amount of free time he can get, and going to bed fairly early for a college student.

In addition, our student athletes all have required tutoring hours at the Drew and Brittany Brees Student-Athlete Academic Center. Hoeft says he spends eight hours of his week there, getting help for what he has either missed in class due to meets, or simply going over his work to ensure his grades stay where they need to be.

Hoeft confesses the hardest part of being a D1 athlete is managing his time efficiently. He states that sleep is very important, so staying up late studying is not an option. He has to get all of his work done during the daytime, which is something not all college students can motivate themselves to do.

But the best part? "All the connections you make through sports is my favorite part of running for Purdue," Hoeft says. "I have met so many other athletes here, not only runners, but in all other sports as well. It's a great feeling to be surrounded by people that understand what it takes to be a student athlete."

Hoeft also proudly says on behalf of Purdue University, "I feel very proud to attend this school, especially to represent Purdue in athletics and to be a Boilermaker. I will always do my best to live up to my university's expectations."

As far as advice for aspiring D1 athletes, he would like to tell them, "You have to be okay with being different. You have to understand that just because other people are doing other things that might not be acceptable for you to do, it doesn't mean you are any less than them. You cannot be afraid of missing out."

Make sure to keep up with Ethan Hoeft this year, as his cross country season officially begins Friday, Sept. 4.