While there are many student athletes on the SLU campus, there are many students who do not participate in sports. Having this diverse college community was one of the main reasons why I came here. As a first-year it was nerve-racking coming into a completely new environment, living on your own, not knowing many people, starting new classes, and meeting a new team.
I came in taking hard classes, such as General Biology and General Chemistry. Experiencing the fall here at SLU was an amazing time and being able to do homework outside made it a little more bearable. Captains practices began towards the end of September into October, which helped in meeting some of the team before our season started. I am part of the Women’s Track & Field team and I participate in the indoor and outdoor season. So…I’ve been in season since November. Before officially beginning the season, I was hesitant to be “in season” for two seasons because of how busy my class schedule was, but I was completely wrong! I have become so close with my team and having a set time to work out everyday is my way of de-stressing.
Being a student-athlete has taught me how important time management, positivity, and taking care of your body is. I have practice Monday through Thursday from 4:15 to 6/6:15, Fridays from 3-5, and competitions on Saturdays. This schedule has taught me to take advantage of Sundays by not using that day to lounge around, but to make a schedule and be productive. Also, I try to take advantage of time in between classes, which has been a huge help! Every semester the stress hits us at different times, but it occurs a lot towards the end when professors decide to dump every possible assignment or exam on you. Since I have practice, I don’t have all day to get ahead on homework or study for hours on end. This definitely has caused some stress, but I have learned to take that practice time to relieve stress and frustration so when I continue homework and studying, my brain is drained of the stress and I’m ready to go! Taking care of your body is super important, and especially for athletes, it is crucial in preventing injuries. I am so thankful for being fortunate enough to have access to a trainer’s room with heating pads, ice bags, ice baths, and rollers. This has been essential to keeping my body healthy and I have even found some treatments therapeutic! You can also take care of your body in other ways, such as eating well, hydrating, getting enough sleep, surrounding yourself with good friends, etc.
A few key tips I’ve learned during my first-year:
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Create to-do lists
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Write down all due dates for the month for each class
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Get ahead on readings or simple homework assignments in between classes
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Be productive on Saturdays and Sundays (it will benefit you in the end)
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If you have a large assignment or exam due the following week, do a little everyday so you don’t cram the night before!!!
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Reward yourself after a productive day with Netflix/Hulu/Youtube– whichever you enjoy the most!
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Stay positive :)
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Stress and negative thoughts will affect your performance on assignments and exams