Bronx Student-Athlete: A Day in the Life
“For many student athletes, this is the norm: balancing school with sports, when what they love is sports. The sacrifices they make are in the pursuit of their love for the game.”
"Beep," "Beeep," "Beeeep." This is the hardest part of the day – getting up early, at 6 am, just to wash my face, brush my teeth, and complete my normal morning routine. The snooze button sits right underneath my pillow. Looking at the time, I know I have to get up and start my day. I groggily get out of bed, head straight to the bathroom, and go through the regular motions. Leaving the bathroom, I try to figure out what I'm going to wear to the gym. This is where the rush begins. It's 6:25 am, and my bag isn't packed, my stomach is empty, and I'm barely dressed. Time is valuable, and being late is not an option for the 7 am practice. Coach would kill me.
As I rush to leave the house, I quickly throw on the school sweatsuit I prepared the night before and add drinks to my bag to stay hydrated throughout the day. But before I head out, I make a quick protein shake to serve as some type of breakfast. "Step," "Step," "Step." I jog my way to the train station, trying to figure out what time I'll arrive. It's 6:43 am, and I have 17 minutes to reach the school. The train arrives in 1 minute, which means I'll have to run straight to the school from the train station. I know this is just the start of the day, and I'm already rushing. I make it to school right on time for the 7 am practice. I change, stretch, run, warm up, do layups, shoot, dribble, and hear the sneakers squeak as sweat hits the floor. The real fun begins with 1v1s, 3v3s, and 5v5s. In the last 10 minutes of practice, the trash talk and hard work pay off.
The happiest part of my day comes to an end, and I transition to my school uniform. I leave the gym and head straight upstairs to my first period. Now, after giving my all in practice and battling the urge to fall asleep, I know I must give my 100% during class time to maintain my grades up to my own standards.
For many student athletes, this is the norm: balancing school with sports, when what they love is sports. The sacrifices they make are in the pursuit of their love for the game. It's irrelevant which sport it is; it demands time, dedication, and an abundance of hard work. This also ties back to the intersection of academics and sports. At times, student-athletes find themselves having to decline opportunities they'd like to pursue in order to excel in the sport they love. The love for sports often serves as the sole means through which they can truly be themselves, find happiness, and reduce stress, as there's no greater sensation than losing track of time and immersing themselves in what they love.
The stress from last night's homework, late nights, and early mornings is ever-present. It's become a part of my daily routine. I aim to balance what I want to do with what I have to do. Throughout the school day, I find any available time, whether it's during lunch or a study period, to start on the day's homework. This head start reduces the stress level associated with pending assignments since I've already made a dent in them. I do everything in my power to complete as much work as possible during school hours, granting me some free time after school. This way, I don't have to worry about the pile of homework that needs attention. However, I usually spend some time after school with a teacher, working on subjects I struggle with. This extra help keeps me on track and ensures I understand the material better.
Overwhelm is part of the norm for student-athletes. They feel an enormous sense of stress when trying to balance various aspects of their lives. This can have an impact on one's mental health. It's already challenging for student-athletes to juggle their sport and academics, and many of them also grapple with personal issues. These personal struggles can further compound the stress and feelings of being overwhelmed. Speaking from the perspective of a student-athlete, there are both good and bad days, and this fluctuation affects their physical and mental well-being. This is simply the reality for us as student-athletes.
The stressful school day eventually ends around 4:15 pm. I head down the block from school, craving my first meal of the day. I know that after eating, it's time for my daily stress-reliever and therapy session: basketball. I head to a nearby court, either alone or with a friend, to work on our individual skills, motivating each other to push our limits. This typically takes place between 5:30 pm and 8:00 pm. Afterward, I head home, either on a 15 to 30 minute train ride or a bike ride. Finally, I get home to eat or go to the deli to grab something to eat, and I eagerly anticipate a refreshing shower. The day is almost over, and I'm torn between the desire to sleep between 9:30 pm and 10 pm, considering how tiring the day has been. However, I'm aware I still have homework to complete, so I use the last 2 hours of my day for that, or for what I perceive as some well-deserved relaxation and a meal.
At last, the day is done as I slowly wind down and reflect on all that I've accomplished for the day. As I begin my nighttime routine and prepare my clothes and school materials for the next day, I think back on plays I made, assignments I completed and decisions I made throughout the day that affected the outcome of this day.
How can I do it better? How can I excel at my game to the next level? School drifts to the back of my mind. It is always about the game.