Although I have only been playing collegiate soccer for a week, I can say a lot about my experience so far. It has been grueling and tiring experience, but I hope that i can help all of you in the same place as mean find the goodness and the humor within our experiences as college athletes. Here are a few positive things that I have learned in my first week of being a college athlete.

1. I have learned to nap like a pro

I nap once after every single practice, and then after the last practice I go to bed for the day

2. I never thought that I could eat this much

If I am not sleeping or at practice, you can catch me in the cafeteria eating all of the food and as fast as I can

3. I am too tired and busy to miss my home, family, boyfriend and friends

I will never forget my family and when I have time of course I am thinking about them. The adjustment process has been a lot easier because I am so busy with soccer that I do not have time to focus on the sadness of leaving, but rather I can focus on growth. Growth with myself, soccer, and relationships with people back home and at school.

4. I am capable of pushing myself harder than I thought

This first week of college soccer has definitely challenged me technically, physically, and mentally. I have already become a stronger person through the challenges I have overcome in soccer and it has only been a week.

5. My team provides a sense of family and college starts to feel less like school and more like a home away from home

As my team and I face these difficult challenges and changes together it forces us to become stronger individuals and a stronger group of united girls. It feels amazing to be a part of such a loving group and it is inspiring be surrounded by such strong, determined and confident group of young women.

6. I have made new friends through soccer

Although I know I would've made friends if I did not play college soccer, soccer made this process a lot easier and faster. We all automatically had many similarities because of soccer so relationships were almost instantaneous.

7. I have physical proof that I have made improvements within soccer

I had to do physical fitness tests in the beginning of summer until now. I have made huge improvements within this area. I think this is a really cool and encouraging thing about college athletics because it proves that hard work does pay off.

8. I have a team and coaches to hold me accountable

Whether this accountability is within soccer, academics, or my walk with God I always know that I have people that I can come to when I need someone and people who will not let me be anything less than excellent.

Playing collegiate sports is difficult in many different aspects. It makes time management and school tougher. It will make you as an athlete more tired than a regular student. With all this being said, I would not trade being a college athlete for anything. I worked hard to become one and I will continue to work towards being a great one. Playing college soccer is helping me to grow into a better person and teaching me how to work hard and be determined. Although it is hard, it is totally worth it.