Being a student athlete definitely comes with its downsides, but it also has just as many perks. Being in season can be a mentally and physically draining few months, but a lot of athletes wouldn’t trade that for the rush of the game. Here are a few perks and downsides that come with being in season:
(Photo: StLawrenceU)
Downside: One of the biggest cons as a college student athlete, as many athletes would agree, is not being able to go out as often as your friends who don’t participate in sports. However, there are many athletes that participate in sports because they prefer not to go out. Most teams have specific rules before games/matches specifying that athletes cannot drink for a certain period of time before their competition. This can be frustrating if it means missing fun events (such as Titus, Springfest, Fallfest, etc.) that most of your friends are able to attend. It’s always a bummer to see all your friends having fun, but you can also make this time a great opportunity to bond with your team!
Perk: With the free time that you have when your friends are out doing other things, like the night before a big game, you can utilize your time planning fun team bonding activities! Oftentimes, my teammates and I bake cookies and watch movies the nights before our games. This is an awesome excuse to have a fun and cozy night with your teammates. Along with this, when you do have free time, make sure to take the utmost advantage of it! No free time goes unused as an athlete. A day off from practice is definitely deserving of a nice long nap, spending time with friends you don’t see often, or catching up on work!
Downside: Being on a sports team comes with an extremely busy schedule because of practice and games that take place six days a week. It isn’t uncommon for games and practices to take up at least a few hours of of your day; some people have to visit the trainer and others like to workout or lift before practice. Being busy is tough, especially when it takes away from precious nap time. A sport is like a job: it takes a lot of dedication.
Perk: Although being busy can be stressful, it also forces you to be extremely efficient with your time. In season, there is no such thing as “pushing your homework off.” When you know you have practice at night, or have a busy weekend with games, you have to make sure you make time to get your work done so that you’re not struggling to finish it after a practice or game and cutting into your sleep at night. Time efficiency is a huge trait you earn when you sign up to be a student athlete.
Downside: Away competitions usually mean fairly long bus rides. They’re long and boring, and to be honest, it’s pretty difficult to get a good nap in on the bus. Although it can be a good time to get some extra work done, they are always much longer than you expect them to be.
Perk: These long bus rides suddenly become worth it when you finally get off that bus and get to explore somewhere that’s not campus for a day or two. This means finally getting to those places to eat that Canton doesn’t have to offer (Panera, Starbucks, etc.) and getting a little space to remove yourself from the bustling campus life! Getting off campus for a day or two is always a nice break and leaves you feeling refreshed.
Downside: Sometimes it’s tough to have so much time away from your friends who aren’t on your team. Whether they are on a different team, or just involved with other things on campus, being an athlete doesn’t give you all that free time you have out of season to spend goofing around with your friends.
Perk: With a team, you get a whole new group of friends and an amazing support system who understand you a little differently than others. A team is a unit that is always on the same page; you win together, you lose together, you celebrate, and you struggle all at the same time. Being able to participate in such an intense and serious competition with a group of people gives you a whole different relationship with these people, and it is so awesome to know they always have your back on and off the field/court/ice.