5 Ways I balanced My School, Sports, and Work-Life in College
Spoiler alert; College is hard. Shocking, I know, whether you’re rushing to your first-period class, pulling an all-nighter, or finding out you’re socially awkward, college is a doozy. I had to balance physics, football and track and field, and a job. Crazy as that may seem, It wasn’t as hard as you would think. Here are five things I did to get through it all.
- Communication
I’ll start with the most important one first, communication. Honestly, we could stop right here; that’s how important communication is. Telling your sports coach that you need to skip practice to do an assignment may seem scary, but it helps in the long run. Not only does it set that precedent, but it also shows them that you care about your education.
2. Prioritize
Prioritization is your best friend for two main reasons. One, you aren’t stressing over something that may be less important than the other. Two, you can make a schedule based on your priorities. Thus, you’re organized and stress-free because you have your priorities straight.
3. Make Friends
Having friends may not seem as helpful as the first two tips but, trust me, it helps. The list of times I was bailed out by a friend on an assignment is LONG. Having an assignment due on Monday with the football game on Saturday left me with very little time. Making friends is hard. However, this is where going to late-night study sessions can help you.
4. Use your resources
Speaking of going to late-night study sessions, check out what resources your school offers. My college, Oberlin College, offers programs like owls, office hours, and even an informal class. I used all of these to my advantage to stay on top of the game. When you do as much as I did, you have to use these resources. Otherwise, you’ll fall behind.
5. Take a break
This one may seem to be the most obvious, but it still needs to be said. Set apart some time for you to decompress And relax. Burning yourself out will lead to you contemplating drug use, alcohol use, and even quitting. Sunday was my day to sleep in, catch up on my shows, or play video games. Even if an assignment was due the next day and I hadn’t started it, I still gave myself at least eight hours to do nothing. Taking breaks is vital to a successful college career.
Let me reiterate; college is HARD, but not impossible. Being smart about your communication, prioritization, and schedule will allow you to manage. Use whatever you have to your advantage, whether it be friends, resources, or a little bit more of your time. But, don’t stress too much, give yourself time to relax and enjoy your time because, at the end of the day, it’s only 4–12 years to set up the rest of your life.