Managing Time as a Student - Athlete
SaveBeing a student-athlete is a great college experience, but it comes with sacrifice. You must manage your time well and prioritize your school and sport. If you balance your school and sport well, you can truly thrive as a student-athlete and enjoy the amazing collegiate athletics experience.
Collegiate athletics can be a very rewarding part of your college experience, but they also take a lot of time (over 20 hours a week in season). Because of the great time demand that sports have, learning to manage your time well as a student-athlete is key for success both in the classroom and in competition. You can do several things, as well as resources the university provides to you, to help manage your time.
Pick Class Times Wisely
One of the key ways you can help manage your time as a student-athlete is by selecting good class times that fit your practice schedule. At many institutions, athletes get priority registration. This allows you to pick classes that will allow you to attend practice. Remember that your studies come first. Sometimes, you will need to miss practice for a particular class, but utilizing priority registration is one of the best ways to help manage your time well as a student-athlete. Showing up at practice regularly is one of the biggest components of athletic success, so you will want to prioritize that as much as possible.
Working Ahead
Another way to help manage your time is by working in advance. In college, most professors will give you a syllabus with the assignments for the entire semester. Though daunting at first, a good organizational system can help you stay one step ahead of your assignments. I used a calendar to keep track of all my events and assignments. In the first week of classes, I would write all my assignments into a calendar to know when each was due. This allowed me to visualize how soon assignments were due and which assignments were due next. Planning also helps you to stay on top of your assignments throughout the semester. Staying on top of your coursework will allow you to focus on your athletics more, allowing your school and sports to thrive.
Avoid Over-Committing
One of the biggest temptations as a student-athlete is to over-commit. You will want to try and be a part of many different things while you are in college. Clubs, groups, and projects in your major will all seem like interesting and fun opportunities. They would all be great things to join, and you could probably get away with joining one. However, you only have a finite amount of time and need to prioritize your school and sport over other things you may find fun. Your coursework and athletics are your top priorities.
Go to the Library (Yes, Really)
In college, I always struggled to focus on schoolwork in my dorm. I had too many distractions in there, from TV to friends. One of the best ways I could overcome this lack of focus was by utilizing the university libraries. They are great when you need to focus in an uninterrupted setting. They are quiet and have no distractions compared to your dorm room. When trying to manage your time, utilizing the library is a great way to complete school work in a highly efficient manner.
Utilize Student-Athlete Resources
One of the great parts of being a student-athlete is the wide variety of academic support resources available to you. Many athletic departments have tutoring services, writing centers, and test-taking services. These are great resources meant to help you succeed in the classroom. Remember, you can only compete athletically if you have good enough grades. Schools provide these resources to be used by you. They will help you stay ahead in the classroom, allowing more time spent focusing on your sport. These resources are key to managing your time well as a student-athlete.
Being a student-athlete is a great college experience, but it comes with sacrifice. You must manage your time well and prioritize your school and sport. Any extra time can be filled with fun, but that is the lowest priority. Having a good organizational system and having your classes well organized will help you to manage your time well. Utilizing your resources, such as libraries and academic support services, are great ways to ensure you manage your time wisely. If you balance your school and sport well, you can truly thrive as a student-athlete and enjoy the amazing collegiate athletics experience.
Nathaniel Tamminga
Nathaniel Tamminga is a graduate student at The Ohio State University, currently pursuing his PhD in Physics. He got his BS in Physics from Azusa Pacific University, where he also minored in Mathematics.Articles & Advice
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