Being a full-time student is already a major commitment that requires a ton of dedication, focus, and time. So, why on earth would you want to be a student-athlete? On top of that, go to practice six days a week, completing homework, plus everything else important a college student should be overthinking and over-worrying about? Because you have an abundant amount of love and passion for your sport, that’s why.

Your passion for sports and your commitment to school will get you through these next four years, I promise. Just don’t let either of them die down.

If you’re going to be a student-athlete, you need to understand that you are a student and that school comes first (hence the title “student-athlete”). You are going to college for a reason. In four years, (give or take), you will be walking out of college with a degree in whatever you choose to pursue. Don’t worry, you’ll have a great time being a student-athlete, but in order to do so, you must follow these tips.

Prepare for an overwhelming sense of being… overwhelmed.
You just graduated high school two months ago. You barely have any friends here. Your room never got set up the way you wanted. Your schedule isn’t great (definitely because of those 8 a.m.’s). And you’re left here alone in a new and scary place called… college, and you’re on a college sports team. You’re going to be overwhelmed, and that’s okay. Take a breath and relax! Things will get easier. Buy a cool calendar from Amazon to mark important dates/games/matches/meets. Buy a planner so you never forget any homework assignments, and decorate your room any way you want. These are just a few things that will help take a load of that stress off your shoulders while you enter this new level in the game of life.

Go to class.
Yes, just because you are a student athlete doesn’t mean you can get away with these types of things. You are just like any other student attending this college (but yes, you are still special in your very own way). But seriously, go to class! It will make your life a lot easier when your professor isn’t emailing you asking you why you’ve missed the past five sociology classes. Trust me, it will make your life easier, even if you have to wake up at 8 a.m.

Use your resources.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help! As a student-athlete, you constantly have a lot of stuff going on in your life. Sometimes life sneaks up behind you without you noticing and you forget to study for a calc test and end up failing it. That’s okay, your life isn’t over. Email your professor and ask to go over the test. They are there to help you, plus they want to see you succeed! Even ask for a tutor on campus if calc isn’t your strong suit. There are plenty of resources on every college campus. Whether it’s an athletic trainer, doctor, massage therapist, tutor, psychologist, nutritionist… you probably have them available, so use them!

Learn to accept.
There will be plenty of days that just won’t be your day. Accept it and move on. Don’t dwell on a bad practice, or a bad test, or even a loss. Perfection isn’t real, so don’t expect it to go your way every day. As a student-athlete we experience failure in not just sports, but school too. So yes, double the chance for failure when in our shoes, but you can also see that as double the chance for learning. Choose to mentally grow from the bad days; they will certainly help you in the long run.

Don’t forget about yourself.
You’re a student athlete and a full-time student. Yes, you’re going to make it out alive after these four years, but you’ll have a lot better time if you don’t forget about yourself. Remember to eat and replenish your muscles after a hard practice. Remember to hydrate for “hell week” during pre-season (and throughout the rest of your season too). Remember to actually rest on your rest days. Lastly, remember to call your friends and family and share a laugh, shed a tear if needed, and always say goodbye with a smile. They were, and will always be, your biggest supporters (in sports and in school).

From one student-athlete to another, good luck and don’t freak out. Remember to accept failure when it comes your way, and stay humble when you succeed.