I am a student-athlete. Every morning, an alarm goes off at 5 am. I want to push snooze, but I can’t. Rolling out of bed, I grab a granola bar and begin another grueling day. As swimmers, we usually get overlooked and people assume that, in comparison with other athletes, I “have it easy,” but I don’t. My schedule starts with an hour-long lift, after which I quickly change into a practice suit and practice for two hours. Then I have class all day until another trip to the pool for a run, and another two-hour practice followed by a “dry land” workout. Where does school work fit in? How can student-athletes get it all done?

To be a student-athlete, we have to micro-manage and we can’t procrastinate. We have our coaches helping us and study hall twice a week. People always wonder why they never see us struggle, and that is why.

Now, don’t get me wrong–being a student-athlete in college is the most rewarding experience. Your team becomes your family: you develop lasting friendships and the hours toughen you mentally. You never have to worry about where to sit at meals, who to hang out with, or what to do because you are tied up with this group of individuals every day. There is no need to join a sorority or fraternity when you are on a college team–that’s what your teams become.

Now, one thing people don’t seem to understand is injury. No one understands the amount of stress a student-athlete has on them to not get injured and we do everything we can to prevent them. The worst thing is when you work hard off-season and preseason, and then you get injured in a game, meet, or match. Everything you worked so hard for has now gone down the toilet. Not only do you feel like you have let yourself down by not being able to reach your goals for that season, but you also feel like you’ve let your team down. For football players, depending on position, injury can be inevitable. They are constantly getting concussions, breaking bones, or tearing things like ligaments.

How does a student-athlete bounce back after something like that? How do their grades not get affected? Great trainers and a great, supportive team are the answers. With a team behind you, coaches with you, and trainers assisting you, the lifestyle of a student-athlete is an amazing experience with an ideal support system that everyone should work towards. Nothing worthwhile is easy, and the life of a student-athlete is a prime example.

[This article was considered for the Fall 2016 Print Edition of the Catawba Pioneer.]