Don’t believe anyone who says sports and studies do not mix. Just think about Archie Roberts, who became a noteworthy cardiovascular surgeon after his NFL career was over. Ryan Fitzpatrick would never agree with this statement either, as he swapped his quarterback position for teaching Economy at Harvard.
The truth is, CDC cannot prove sports hurt your academic performance but has evidence about its neutral or positive effects. Other researchers found physical activity increased mental acuity and cognitive abilities. This means you don’t have to give up classes to have a professional athlete career or leave sports to succeed in class. With my three suggestions, you can do both!
Set Your Priorities Straight
While sports and studies may both be present in your life, you still need to decide which one you want to place at the top of your priorities list. If you aspire to pursue a professional sports career after graduation, you might sway towards practice and championships. Still, most colleges require you to uphold GPA above a certain number to keep your scholarship or stay on the team.
College is not just about studies, and you’ll have to juggle clubs, meetups, social calls, and dates. At some point, it will become unmanageable, and you’ll need to reassess your priorities list. If success in class and on the field means a lot to you, be ready to give up parties, other extracurricular activities, and part-time jobs. If you stretch yourself too thin, something will have to give, and your performance will suffer across the board.
Master Time-management and Planning
If you want to keep up with practice and classes, time-management is your best friend. I recommend you avoid the trap of planning every day down to a minute because there is no way you can stay on track without some flexibility. Instead, try planning for the week. Open your planner or calendar app, and block out the time for things you can’t avoid, like classes, practice, and games. Add time blocks for your homework, social engagements, and other activities you would like to take part in. Account for the time you need to get to school or the field, meals, and sleep. Your calendar should still have plenty of white space to keep your schedule flexible. Otherwise, a single shift in your plans can ruin the whole week.
Once you are comfortable with your weekly planning sessions, move to monthly planning. It will be especially helpful whenever finals or playoffs come around. You can also research productivity hacks to help you use the blocks allocated for studies wisely and make most of every hour.
Reach out for Help
When your A-game begins to suffer, don’t struggle in silence. You don’t have to deal with problems on your own when there are lots of people ready to help. Start with your coach. They will have the best idea where your schedule has a leeway to let you skip practice or a game so you can catch up on your homework. Professors are another safe bet. If you explain your problems at the beginning of the term, they can set up a system that will allow you to earn extra points. Don’t be shy or embarrassed to talk about your struggles before you reach a breaking point. The timely intervention will help you stay on the team and pass the classes without a hitch.
Finally, you always have an option to outsource your papers to professional writers. Essay writing experts will take over your homework and save hours of your time you can use to become an A-player.
You are the master of your destiny, and only you can set priorities, create a schedule, and get help whenever it is necessary. Sports studies topics are no longer mutually exclusive, as shown by thousands of college-level and professional athletes. Are you ready to join the big league and prove you can do it too?