Video by Keith Brown and Hayley Curtiss
If you were to ask a junior at any college or university across the country if they have a lot of time on their hands, the majority of them would say no. Long nights, early mornings, and A LOT of caffeine. But, what happens when you throw in a collegiate level varsity sport and a job off campus?
Being a college student and balancing a sport and a job off campus is definitely not easy, to say the least. Young adults across the nation are waking up every day trying to find the perfect balance and adjust to life once we “fly out of the nest” and away from our parents. Some days are harder than others, free time doesn’t come often for me, but adjusting is something that comes natural after the third year of this lifestyle. Adjusting is a key aspect in life because sometimes life will throw some wild curve balls at you. Being a full time student-athlete and working part time off campus can get a little sticky at times, but there are certain tips that will definitely get you through the rough days.
The first tip that will benefit you is time management. Time management is SO essential when you have an extremely busy schedule. My favorite thing to do is plan out my week in an agenda book so I know when and where I’m supposed to be at the exact time. Organization also plays a big role in staying on track of your stuff. I am absolutely not the most organized person, and I often (way too often) forget some pretty important things, but learning how to organize your life and putting the effort in will definitely make a difference. For example, knowing exactly where you put your work uniform, or where your field hockey stick is ahead of time will save you from a ton of unnecessary stress when you are in a rush going from place to place.
The second tip that takes a little bit of work is communication. Communicating, whether it be to your professors, your teammates, or your coworkers is so important because that’s the only way people will understand what you’re doing or what you’re going through. James Humes, an American lawyer, once said “The art of communication is the language of leadership.” This quote is extremely accurate, because in order to grow in all that you do, communication is a must. This skill does not come natural to many people, so it’s important to try to get this skill going as soon as possible. It will definitely save you from a few bumps down the road.
The third, and my favorite, tip that makes my day a lot easier is finding the appropriate balance between everything that’s on your plate and maintaining mental, physical, and emotional health. It is so important to maintain a healthy diet, exercise, and get an appropriate amount of sleep. For myself, I often forget how important sleep is and the impact that it truly has on you as you function through your day. Eight hours is not always possible with the amount of homework you have, or the late hours at work and then an early morning class, but try to get a solid night as sleep as much as you can. Also, I have found that skipping breakfast really does effect you in many ways. I tend to make a smoothie for myself the night before, or grab a protein bar and a banana as I’m running out the door. As cliché as it sounds, you have to eat your fruits and vegetables, drink a lot water, and get your exercise in!
Balancing school, sports, and work is definitely something that takes a little bit of effort. Busy is my middle name, but in the end, all the hours and hard work is worth it. These tips help me maintain my crazy, busy, but beautiful life and I hope they benefit all of you the way they benefit me!
