From classes to workouts, workouts to lifts, and lifts to studying, finding time to breathe in your busy schedule may seem to be one of the simplest tasks that is often the most difficult. Penciling in when you can eat dinner is always a guessing game and eating throughout the day is just not a possibility. You find yourself running from practice to class, often times without a shower, because practice ran a little later than usual on that particular day. It is at this moment that you question if you can truly balance what you need to get done and make it on time to another practice. Time management, communication, and scheduling are some of the biggest factors that help student-athlete’s balance a healthy lifestyle while also fitting in a daily practice schedule and occasional game. 

The biggest conflict a student-athlete has with balance is time management. Saving homework until the last minute or forgetting about assignments by focusing on game plans instead of an essay due at 11:59 pm wreaks havoc in both a person’s life and schedule, increasing stress and making the experience of being a student-athlete almost unbearable. Planning out your week in advance including both personal events, athletic practices and events, and school assignments is one way to find the time in your week to fit in everything you need to do. By planning out everything, you are also able to identify when you have free time to do what you want at certain points during the week or even weekend. While staying on top of every assignment and getting ahead in class is the ideal situation, it is almost never realistic in the life of a student-athlete. Students often find themselves saving homework for the day or night before to allow for some free time during the week or weekend to relax after a long day. Taking one or two days out of the week to try and catch up on homework helps to prevent homework from piling up and frees up more down time than you think.

Developing a connection with both your professors and coaching staff is another beneficial factor in a good lifestyle balance. Most of the time, professors and coaches are able to refer you to resources on-campus that are much closer than you thought. A helpful resource to use on campus is the tutoring services offered in Healey Library on the 8th floor. Because coaches micromanage your grades just as much as your parents do, they are very aware of a student falling behind. Using the tutoring services provided on campus helps to revisit topics you may have misunderstood or had difficulty with and learn them one on one, bringing you back up to speed in no time. Another useful resource to use on campus is your academic advisor. Your advisor is able to help you plan out your schedule as well as figure out the best time for you to attend classes based on your practice schedule. When falling behind in classes, your advisor is able to suggest options for you that will guide you on the right path to become a successful student. If you have any questions about academics and scheduling, find your advisor in Wiser and schedule an appointment almost immediately. 

Being an athlete and a student at the same time may seem impossible, especially when looking at the amount of work in front of you, but it is possible to have a good balance between the two. Resources such as tutoring and academic advising are some of the best ways to stay on track during a difficult semester. Planning out your time is yet another way to create a balance in life that can prevent an overload of stress in your life. Remember, ruling out athletics because you simply do not have time is not always true. By using your time wisely, you are able to evenly disperse your workload over the week and fit in the sport you love and desire without a worry.