Some people argue that playing Division 1/ Division 2 sports is a completely different ball game (no pun intended) than playing Division 3 sports. I beg to differ. If you have a coach that’s dedicated and pushes you to be great, participating in a college sport at any level can feel incredibly grueling mentally and physically. It’s inevitable that you’re going to feel drained on a daily basis ESPECIALLY if you have classes after practice. I dreaded 6 AM practices because I felt exhausted the rest of my day and often times drifted away to sleep during class. I was on the verge of failing 2 classes after my first semester because I valued sleep more than doing my assignments.
I knew I had to wake up and come to my senses because being in school longer than I had to or even being forced to pay for classes PER CREDIT was not an option for me. I learned quickly that nothing is more important than going to class and focusing as best as I can on my assignments. Usually after you join a college team, you’ll have to partake in a team study hall. Take advantage! I know the common excuse is “Well I work better at home/my own dorm, so I’ll just wait to do it then”. While that may be true, you’re also more prone to fall asleep there as well. Coming from a professional procrastinator herself, I took for granted the value of team study halls, tutoring, and other free opportunities to get my work done. They are all extremely beneficial in the long run. My biggest mistake was trying to finesse my way through college instead of putting my all into everything that I did.
“At the end of the day, let there be no excuses, no explanations, no regrets.”
— – Steve Maraboli
For my athletes that are really passionate and care about their sport, the worst feeling in the world is having to sit out and waste a semester/year because you didn’t take your classes seriously. The first year is all a learning experience. During this time, you should figure out if you’re more productive with taking morning classes or night classes. Your mental health and strength will be tested. The phenomenon is true. Once you get to college, you’re most likely going to be setting alarms to take naps whenever you can even if it’s just for 3 minutes. That’s completely okay. However, don’t let sleep consume your life. Make the best out of your limited time in college – no excuses, no regrets.