Jordan Greene is a freshman at Sacred Heart University. He is a part of the Men’s Track and Field roster. Sacred Heart University is a private, Catholic university in Fairfield, Connecticut.
For many athletes across the country, playing sports in college is one of the most incredible things you can ever do in your career. Regardless if it is Division 1 or junior college, being able to play against top competition is something to be proud of. For me personally, I am blessed to be a part of that group.
In my first year of being a college track athlete at Sacred Heart University, I would not trade it for anything in the world. Not only do I get to do what I love every day, but I get to spend a good amount of the day with amazing coaches and teammates that help me get better at my craft. Despite having an amazing opportunity, this way of life, like everything else, comes with its challenges.
Background
Being a student athlete in high school, I went into college thinking that I could easily deal with the obstacles that would come my way for the next four to five years. I was aware that it would be slightly harder than high school, but the confidence in me refused to be fearful of whatever challenges college had to offer.
Eight months later, I realize that I have dealt with many things that have challenged me mentally and physically. From difficult workouts to the constant battles of waking up for classes, and the constant urges of wanting to go home, being a college athlete is the ultimate test to find out what you are made of.
Daily Schedule
To put in perspective on what it is like to be a student athlete in college, I will give you a glimpse of what I do every day.
Week after week, I wake up at around eight in the morning. After finishing my morning routine, I leave my dorm at around 8:15 a.m. to go attend my classes, which are from 9 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. After I finish my classes, I head to practice which can last from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. depending on if we have a weightlifting session. After that, I usually go to my favorite restaurant to get a nice post-workout meal. After I finish eating, my evening usually consists of going to club meetings or writing different articles for various platforms and then doing homework. When all of my responsibilities have been completed, I get back to my dorm at around 9:30 p.m. so I can go to sleep and do it all over again the next day.
Biggest Challenge
Out of all the challenges that are presented to me as a college student athlete, I believe the hardest thing is balancing academics with sports and your future career aspirations. I believe this is the hardest part because it is easy to put too much focus on one of the three things, which can allow you to decrease in performance for the other two responsibilities. And if your performance drastically changes in certain things, it can take away from not only your athletics, but also the other important things you want to pursue.
In order to combat these imbalances from happening, you have to have the ability to stay organized. If you can have a consistent schedule for everything you do each day, you will be able to operate at a level where nothing can take you out of your element, and you won’t be taken off course. I am currently getting better at organizing, even though I still slip up at times.
Advice to Future College Student Athletes
My advice to any future college student athletes is that I want you to understand what you are signing up for. Once you become a college student athlete, it is time to become a mature individual and realize what is important and what is not. Once you understand that this lifestyle is a commitment, it will help you prepare for major things in the future. Upon accepting this lifestyle commitment not only will you become great athletes, but more importantly, great responsible individuals.
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