By Kaelyn Emslie | Learning Support Centre Student Success Mentor
Becoming a student-athlete has many perks; you have the opportunity to compete at a high level, in a sport you are passionate about, with people you enjoy spending time with. However, just because you have to practice 5 days a week for 2 hours each day, doesn’t mean that you have extra time for all your schoolwork. Committing to a varsity sport requires you to perform in the classroom just as well as on the court or field. With this in mind, how do you stay on-top of your schoolwork?
Stay organized! Make a routine!
At a glance, it may not seem like there is too much time spent on your sport, however, time can add up quickly and get you in the worst ways later. I recommend to all students that they make a schedule; something that includes their classes, a potential part-time job, due dates for assignments, test dates, etc. For student-athletes, it is crucial that you maximize the time you have when you aren’t on the court, in class or travelling for competitions.
Things that can help you stay organized could be:
-
Making a weekly or monthly schedule:
this will show you due dates, availability for homework, and it keeps you punctual. *Note: if you are commuting, I recommend scheduling time to travel to class/practice, so that you can organize your time around that. -
Reminders in your phone:
setting alarms for certain reminders can help remind you when you need to complete a task, and if you have a bad memory like me, this can be very helpful. -
To-do lists:
writing down things you need to bring to school, practice and games can help you avoid forgetting things you might need. To-do lists can show you what needs to be done in that week or day, keeping you on-top of your work and taking away any opportunity of forgetfulness.
It isn’t always the ideal workspace:
How do I buckle-down and focus when I’m always on the move? It is important to keep an open mind when you are a varsity athlete, because it isn’t always easy. Most of the time it’s challenging, but there are always ways to make it less overwhelming. You might have to learn how to manage studying on busses, or at times you don’t usually study.
There are a few ways that can help you make the best of your situation:
-
Bring headphones:
If you are someone who gets easily distracted, wearing headphones can help cancel out extra ambient noise. This can be especially helpful on the bus or in a hotel room. -
Prepare flashcards:
Always being on-the-go, there will be times that you don’t have time or space to set up your laptop and books. Preparing flashcards has you go through your material, and then whenever there is a small moment, you can just take them out and complete as many flashcards as you want. Doing it in small increments can also help you retain information. -
Summarize your notes:
Condensing your notes will make it easier to highlight what information is important to know. This way, there is no need to remember every small detail and it gives you the opportunity to go through all your notes. -
Explain concepts out loud:
If you have a teammate or a coach that is willing to help you study, try explaining concepts out loud to them. This will force you to explain things in your own words which can help you comprehend tough topics and enforce memory retention.
When do I get a break?
It can be hard to find time when you are spending roughly 15-20 hours a week on your sport, on-top of all your schoolwork. In first year, I had a hard time finding time to take a break because I felt there was always something to do for school. This can cause you to burnout very quickly.
Here are some ways you can avoid getting burned out:
-
Every minute can be used:
There is no such thing as not enough time. The 5-10 minutes before class, the 20-30 minutes on the bus or the 10 minutes before practice are small amounts of time you can allow yourself to not worry about school or sport. Instead of trying to fill up every minute doing something productive, using this time as a break can help you to focus when you are doing work, or when you are on the court. -
No more work after 8pm:
I keep saying “take advantage of every minute you have throughout your day”, however, it can still get overwhelming if you are constantly working on things. It is important that you have a “cut-off” time at the end of the day, so you can have time to yourself, and so you can allow your body and mind to relax before heading to bed. -
It’s all about balance:
If you feel like you can’t stop your mind from racing, or if you feel like you haven’t had time to breathe, those are good signs you should slow down a bit. However, if you feel like you need to be doing work or you are behind on schoolwork, that is a good indicator that you should start being productive. It can be easy to overload ourselves, so make sure you are in the best state of mind.
Fueling your body and mind:
It can be very tempting to want to make something that is quick, easy, and yummy. However, in this day and age, food options that typically have these qualities tend to be unhealthy. For example, pizza pockets or McDonald’s may seem like a quick, easy meal, but they’ll likely have you feeling sluggish later. As a student-athlete, it is your responsibility to perform well in the classroom and on the court, so it is also important that you are eating balanced meals and drinking enough water so you can complete these tasks to the best of your abilities. It can be hard to always eat healthy, and we all deserve a treat sometimes, but having a good diet on a regular basis is most beneficial to student-athletes, as well as the whole student population.
Being a student-athlete takes a lot of time and energy and it can get overwhelming. By implementing some or all these ideas into your daily life, things might not feel as if you are always one step behind. Being a student-athlete has taught me how to be resilient, grateful and has been an incredible journey so far.
Keep working hard, Mountaineers!
