Balancing Athletics and Academics

Balancing Athletics and Academics As a student, I am constantly reminded about how important it is to stay on top of my classes; dont miss classes, do homework right away, study for tests in advance. As an athlete, I am constantly reminded the importance of focusing on being the best I can be in practice or a meet and keeping my head in the game. As a student athlete attending University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, I am constantly reminded that being a participant of one is not an excuse to let the other fall short. Though it is only my fourth week of school, I can testify to how easy it is to be successful in classes even while being on a sport. I am on the womens track and field team, and we are required at least 10 hours of mandatory study hall every week in a designated building. Now upon hearing this, I was low-key upset. Why do I have to leave the comfort of my dorm just to sit in some room for hours? Why cant they just trust me to study on my own? I quickly found the answer to my own question. After my morning classes, I would head back to my room and fall asleep until my alarm went off for practice. I had no motivation to do my homework, except the motivation that I wouldnt be able to participate in track if I hadnt done 10 hours! So I found myself grudgingly trekking to the Irwin Academic Center to study. When I got there, usually after practice (and a shower), I decided I would stay until the building closed so I could cheat the system and knock out all the hours faster. The reality though, was that I ended up using all that time: to finish the chemistry post-lab that I have been putting off. Then I would knock off that speech I had to write, then watch the online lecture from my kinesiology class. The mandatory study hours were working! In my classes, I am always prepared because I had time cut out for me specifically for that reason. Not only are athletes provided a  time and place to study, but we also get free tutoring. There are also the resources that all students get, like access to professors or TAs during office hours. So if you are planning to be a Fighting Illini, there is no need to worry about grades slipping (as long as you use the resources so generously provided), so fight on! Chisom Class of 2020 I'm a Kinesiology major in the College of Applied Health Sciences. I'm a first-generation American; my twin and I were born in Oak Park, Illinois. The rest of my siblings were born in Nigeria. I'm a pole vaulter and sprinter on the Illini track team.