Does being involved in sports mean that you can lack in academics? Absolutely not.
Finding a healthy balance between the two most time-consuming priorities could be tough but is definitely achievable. This short guide provides brief yet accommodating strategies to improve your academic and athletic lives both mentally and physically.
Utilizing class time and extra help
The simplest thing that students could do is make an effort to pay attention in school and attend extra help when it is needed. When complaining that there is no time to study, typically resulting in failure, think about the time provided in school that goes unused sitting on TikTok or staring at the wall.
Just a mere 52 minutes of attention each period could save dreaded confusion when dealing with a confusing 10:00 PM assignment after practice. Eastern students are also privileged to enjoy an hour- long lunch, so think wisely when choosing how to spend that.
Focusing on your sport at practice, not academics
Before sports practice or a game, be sure to eat a nutritious snack to maintain energy. Energy bars, Gatorade, a banana, or oranges would make the perfect pregame snack.
Get simple homework out of the way, if possible, but make an attempt to focus on sports for this time that should be dedicated to it.
Lock in and put your mind in the game. This will prevent academics from essentially ‘taking over’.
Battling procrastination
Procrastination is a common academic challenge for students, especially those who face fatigue after a hot sports practice.
Refrain from napping; motivation is key.
Find a reason to get homework done early, such as watching your favorite television show. This will encourage student athletes to get to work almost immediately then get a good night’s rest. If you find yourself up at 2am studying for a history test, sleep is more than likely a more feasible solution than staying up and attempting to study. The rest after all of this will be fuel for the next day of hard work, so overworking in this situation is not ideal.
Using weekends wisely
Like many- and regretfully me on occasion- use Sunday nights as our time to “catch up on weekend homework”.
Find a few hours each day of the weekend to get a head start, then proceed to do work for the upcoming week. While this is not cutting into sports time, it is creating motivation. If the majority of the weekend’s work is done by Sunday morning, Sunday night can be a boost for the next weeks’ worth.
In all, the key to balancing academics with athletics is managing your time with schoolwork yet focusing on sports when it is necessary.
