By: Grace Hahn
Being a student athlete adds an extra layer of complexity to attending college. For many college athletes like myself, there isn’t really an option to play or not play in college; it’s a goal of many junior athletes, like a final celebration or final hurrah to compete at a high level. I always knew I wanted to compete in college, but while pursuing a college degree at the same time, especially one in the science field, it can be hard to balance it all. In my case, I also work multiple jobs in my hometown and have two jobs on-campus, which makes my situation even more complex. Despite this complexity, balancing every aspect of your life in college is not impossible! I know there are many others with situations like mine, and I hope this can be of assistance to you. First, I suggest buying a planner, specifically a monthly planner, for not only your assignments, but also your competitions and personal events. I know everyone has their own preference of how to organize their schedules, but I have found that a monthly planner allows me to visually see the weeks ahead and my events like due dates and matches. It acts as my life at a glance. I use this planner: https://www.yesstyle.com/en/tcuc.USD/coc.US/info.html/pid.1097002527?googtrans=en&utm_source=GoogleAds&utm_campaign=1425184459&utm_term=&utm_content=62829238544_274256254249&utm_medium=Shopping&bac=EXUXNBGL&mcg=paidsearch&gclid=Cj0KCQiAjJOQBhCkARIsAEKMtO30KdrQLTuivdcIxEufirx59pExNpdheAJg349JRM49OrjepJZxYCYaAgZvEALw_wcB One thing that was hard for me, and still is, is finding class times that don’t conflict with my jobs and my practice/competition schedule. What I have found works very well is staying in contact with your advisors, since they are very knowledgeable regarding how to shift your schedule around between the current semester and your remaining semesters. Sometimes, if you have a course that you are unable to take in the current semester, your advisor would know if the course is offered in an upcoming semester. If you need more specialized help, your professors can also be a great resource to employ, since they may be able to help work with your athletic schedule as well. Roosevelt professors and advisors have been such great resources for me since they are so caring and always go out of their way to understand each student’s individual situation. I have never been stuck in a situation where I cannot take a class that I need in order to graduate; I have always been provided with a solution that helps me! I have also found that the Roosevelt professors that I have had have always accommodated my athletic schedule. I advise asking your coach for excused absence forms for each competition in advance so your professors are alerted sooner rather than later. If you ever have any questions regarding how to balance athletics, academics, and work, feel free to reach out to me or drop by my office hours! I would be more than happy to provide any help you may need. Trust me, it may seem hard, but it is NOT impossible!
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02/01/2022 By: Selena Bush The decision to restart college was a hard one to make for me. As a first generation, non-traditional student who is African- American, college/university life can be hard to navigate. It is even harder to navigate when you have to work a full time job.
I am from the Southside of Chicago, I grew up in what some might deem a ‘bad’ neighborhood, my family was poor and so were the other families around us. All I knew everyday was struggling to make it. Even though I did not see better around me I knew there was better through reading. I would read books about everything and anything and though the characters had their struggles they were never poor. I was tired of being poor. In America they say the best way to fix your life circumstances is through going to College. They do not say how hard it will be to stay in college if you do not have the means to go in the first place. The first university I went to was Illinois State University right out of high school. I worked two jobs, had no support from family, and had no real community while I was there. I was so exhausted from working and frustrated that I could not afford to be there that I dropped out after my first year. From there, all I did was work. ‘At twenty-two I decided that I needed to go back to school so that I could live a better life. I felt very weird about being older than most of the other students, and felt kind of strange being one of the few Black students in class. Not a lot of people understand but it helps to have people that look like you in class so that you feel a sense of community. It has been hard being back in school and trying to work full time, there is guilt that I have over not being able to put my complete focus on school, and being exhausted from working and keeping up with assignments. Even with all those difficulties, if not for SPA and my own perseverance I probably would not still be continuing in university now. The other mentors have always been very supportive and have been there when I need to talk about how frustrating it is to be juggling work, school, and family. They give me advice when I am having difficulty keeping up in class because of work and do not want to express that to my professors. If you are a student who also works full time and thinks you are the only one having academic, personal, and professional struggles, you are not alone. It might be hard but reach out and ask for help, you might be surprised how much help there is. |