Five years ago, I made the decision that I wanted to play college volleyball. I started the process of “getting myself out there”, which involved getting a video camera and tripod, filming my games, and even making an online profile for coaches to see. I spoke to coaches and went on so many college visits that I lost track of them. In the end, I decided that Behrend was where I wanted to be – It offered my major, I loved the campus, and I could also play volleyball here.
People go into college thinking they are going to have the time of their life and that it is all fun and games. When the first week of school hits, they soon realize that there is work that needs to be done for their very demanding course load. So they use the time they have in the afternoon and early evening to get all that homework done and only then are they free to go hang out with their friends or go out on the weekends.
Well, I do not have time in the afternoon or late evening for homework because I am either still in classes, working, or at volleyball practice. Being a student athlete instantly makes college harder. People often think, “Why? All you have to do is go to practice at night.” Sure, that may be true, but practice rarely ends right on time. We travel as far as nine hours away on the weekends for tournaments and this involves trying to do homework on the bus with no wifi and bumps every five seconds. We also have games throughout the week that get us home sometimes as late as midnight.
Along with playing volleyball, I work a part-time job, take 18-20 credits each semester and belong to several clubs on campus. Not many student athletes find the time to add in these extra things, but I am crazy enough to somehow find a way to make it happen.
Does playing collegiate volleyball make my experience in college way different and more complex than some other collegiettes? Yes it does. But, if I didn’t have volleyball, I would be lost. Volleyball keeps me on a strict schedule that I am more than used to by now. Some days I feel like I do not have enough time for everything (which is true), but I find a way to make it work.
I am very thankful for my team because we have all grown so close that they have become my home away from home. I have my days where I hate volleyball and I repeatedly ask myself why I keep doing this, but then I take a step back and realize how much I genuinely love the sport and couldn’t imagine my life without volleyball in it.
Being a student athlete is difficult, but it is possible. I have made the Dean’s list every semester of my college career, split my time between clubs, work, do all of my homework, and still manage to make time for family and friends. It may be hard, but it is possible. Take it from me.
-HCXO