Balancing Life as a Student Athlete

Balancing Life as a Student-Athlete

When I first committed to play collegiate soccer at Princeton University, I knew that the academic
pressure would be intense. In fact, it was the driving force behind my decision– I have always thrived in
challenging environments, and had already experienced a microcosm of what the student-athlete
experience would be like. Through my most formative childhood years I spent weekdays and weekends
sacrificing social events like birthday parties and school dances to travel to and participate in showcases
and tournaments with my ECNL teammates.

Managing schoolwork, social relationships, and the quality of athletic commitment required to compete at
the highest level shifted as I entered my freshman year of college. For me, the biggest changes were the
early morning practices and lifts piled onto the intense academic timelines. Especially in season it can be
tough to find the 2-3 hours of the day ~on average~ required to complete homework assignments and
readings prior to the next days of class. I’ve discovered myself to be much more productive in the
mornings than late at night after practice and dinner. Unfortunately during my freshman fall semester I
had several morning classes stacked until the early afternoon and practice which meant that my best
pocket of time to do work was when I was typically the least productive. With that being said, the
majority of time management skills and balance that I’ve implemented into my daily life at Princeton now
have strong foundations in the trial and error experiences of my academic and athletic journey thus far!

For example, I have scheduled work shifts on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday mornings from 8:45-11
at my campus jobs. Since the jobs I work on campus both allow me the flexibility to complete schoolwork
as long as I remain present and active on shift, these hours are some of my most productive for work
completion. I write myself a to-do list every Tuesday at work to plan my week where I set target deadlines
to keep on track. Another ability I’ve had to adapt to throughout my collegiate experience is giving
myself grace and forgiveness when I’m unable to meet expectations. Athletic competitions on the road
often result in missed office hours, in-person quizzes, and study material– there’s an added level of
communication required for scheduling makeups or asking for extra time to complete assignments, and
it’s certainly an adjustment from a high school environment where each teacher has more involvement in
their students’ lives. As long as I work to effectively communicate the bridge between my athletic and
academic priorities to my professors and coaches, I’m rewarded with those positive relationships and
support in both realms– even if I fail to meet the high expectations I have set for myself.

I’ve learned to prioritize sleep as I get my best work done when my body and brain feel well rested, and
have worked to prioritize my mental health after a tough practice or a long social evening out with friends
on the weekend. The high pressure academic environment at Princeton can become all-consuming when I
feed into the culture by staying up late and forgetting to take a rest and disregarding the days where I’m
emotionally exhausted. The biggest tip and piece of advice I can give to young readers looking to improve
their student-athlete balance is to find what shapes their identity and worth outside of sports! Through my
involvement in campus groups, service initiatives, and summer work dedicated to who I dream of
becoming beyond my sport, I’ve reimagined the ways in which I can contribute to my team and broader
community. These outside commitments have encouraged me to enhance my overall productivity and
organization as I seek involvement in things that I love beyond my sport.