Collegiate athletics is one of the toughest endeavors a young adult can partake in. It is the first time these athletes leave the home nest and live on their own. Many freshman spiral on a downward slope because they can’t seem to learn how to manage their time or they get caught up in other activities outside of academics and tennis. I do not mean that college athletes cannot be social… I am saying that having an adequate balance is crucial. This post will offer a few tips for incoming college tennis players so that they can have a successful first year on and off the court.
When freshman first step on campus they can begin to feel homesick so it is important that as a freshman you go out and make friends during syllabus week. Being surrounded by people who you are comfortable around will make the transition into college much easier. During the first week, classes tend to be laid back, so this is a great time to start getting used to writing in a planner. Throughout my college career, I wrote in my athletic planner, planning out athletic events as well as any academic deadlines. This truly helped me find the balance of academics and athletics. Sign up for tutors even if you do not think you need one. I found that using tutors to help ensure I understand material forced me to study when I felt like procrastinating. Trust me on this one, it will help!
Studying with friends always helped me in college. It made studying easier and more enjoyable while promoting friendships. It is important that you know not to copy each other’s work when working in groups, but instead work together to understand the material. College academics have a zero-plagiarism policy. I encourage students to break out of their shell freshman year because this is when you will find many of your lifelong friends. Your teammates will be able to offer advice on how to survive freshman year as well.
Here are a few more tips:
- Get Enough Sleep(7-8 hours)
- Do not let your results freshman year affect your academics
- Make friends for the right reasons
- Do not be afraid to ask your coaches for extra time for academics
- Journal (what you did well today, what you can do better, and how you can improve)
Even if you play a different college sport these tips will apply to you. Enjoy and comment on your own tips. How do you find balance in your career? Happy Holidays!
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