In my first year at Western, I had the incredible opportunity to play on the varsity women’s volleyball team. I made so many incredible friends and even got to travel internationally with the team, but this meant that I had to deal with not only the stress of transitioning from high school academically but also adjust to a whole new level of athletics.
I decided to continue with competitive volleyball in university because, as a lot of athletes can relate, I loved sports and wasn’t ready to end my athletic career just yet. Western is not only one of the top institutions academically, but also consistently a top performer across university sports, so it was an easy choice!
Nevertheless, the adjustment process wasn’t always smooth. Although balancing class, workouts, practices, and studying got easier; at the beginning of the year, I felt overwhelmed by the shift I had to make in my studying and my training. However, as the year progressed, I got a lot better at managing my time and responsibilities. I decided to share some tips for incoming (or prospective) athletes to make sure they have the best first year possible!
Strategies to ensure a successful first year:
Organize your time - Keeping track of classes and practices is challenging.
Make sure to get an agenda! You can use the Westernizer, which is a daily agenda provided free by the University Students’ Council (USC) in September, or you can purchase one at Staples or Walmart! Or, if you prefer a calendar on your phone, download the Google Calendar app! Once I started using it, I had no idea how I survived without it. Google Calendar is super convenient because it syncs across all your devices (laptop, phone, tablet) and you can receive reminders about games and practices. Also, you can share your calendar and events with your friends and teammates so you can make sure you don’t miss practice or a class!
Use the resources available to you.
Western provides so many incredible resources for student-athletes (that I wish I used more). The Academic Success Program provides presentations on topics like studying for exams or learning from lectures, as well as course-specific study halls and the option to have check-ins with academic coordinators. There are mentoring programs, writing clinics (at the Weldon library) and most of all, you have your older teammates to help you out. Older players give great advice because they were in your shoes a few years ago!
Don’t be too hard on yourself.
It’s easy to start to feel frustrated with yourself if you’re experiencing difficulty with school or with sports, but remember that it's a tough balance to achieve. If you feel overwhelmed or stressed, schedule some time for yourself on an evening without practice, to relax and unwind.
Remember to enjoy every moment of it!
Don’t hesitate to reach me if you have any questions or would like some other tips! aradova@uwo.ca