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Playing a sport in college is a great way to continue a passion and meet new people. However, it can also come with its own set of challenges as student-athletes often juggle many responsibilities. In today鈥檚 blog, three Meredith student-athletes share how they balance academics and athletics in college.听

Caitlin Brown, 鈥�26 (Track & Field)听

鈥淕oing between classes and practices or athletic events can be a lot to manage. My calendar is the best way to manage my schedule. I use it to track my classes, practices, athletic events, and even my downtime so I get time to recover.听

Coaches, athletic training staff, and other athletics faculty at Meredith have been phenomenal when any issues arise. Be sure to communicate with them as well as your professors! It’s manageable to be both a student and an athlete. You don’t have to sacrifice one for the other.鈥澨�

Shae-Lynn Henderson, 鈥�25 (Field Hockey)听

鈥淏eing a student athlete is a great privilege to me, but it also comes with a lot of responsibility and dedication. Sometimes, it can feel overwhelming when you are in the throes of a busy semester and a jam-packed season, but these challenges have also pushed me in unbelievable ways to become a better version of myself. I look back on these challenges with gratitude because it is all about pushing the boundaries and learning who you are and what you hope to achieve in the process.

At Meredith, there are many resources for student-athletes. The coaching and training teams are helpful both on and off the field. They want to see you succeed as a student, athlete, and human. There is also a Faculty Athletic Representative (FAR) who is the liaison between athletes and staff where necessary.听

Beyond athletics, the Student Success Center and Residence Life are wonderful points of contact for helping you find the resources that you need, whether personally or academically. Sometimes, that third-person perspective is helpful in finding the balance needed between academics and athletics.

The best advice I can give to anyone thinking of being a student-athlete in college is to soak up every moment of your athletic and academic career. It is going to go by so quickly, and the bonds you make on the field and the lessons you learn along the way will carry you both personally and professionally.听

Playing a sport is about so much more than athleticism, and often, it is the silent ways in which you show up and support your teammates that have the greatest impact. Your success is not measured by statistics but rather the legacy you leave for the next generation of Avenging Angels.鈥澨�

Lauryn 鈥淟T鈥� Turner, 鈥�25 (Lacrosse)

鈥淭ime management is one of the challenges I have faced as a student-athlete. When I started college, I was nervous about balancing games, practices, lifts, film sessions, and treatment all on top of my commitments in the classroom and extracurriculars outside of lacrosse.听

I use a written planner, a whiteboard calendar, the Google Calendar, and the Reminders app to manage my time and keep track of everything. In season, I like to get my work done in advance when I know I have games during the week. I also frequently communicate with professors so they know when I have to miss class. My professors have always been understanding of my student-athlete commitments, and I鈥檓 grateful for their flexibility.

Some advice that I would give to future student-athletes would be to learn to manage time well. Use a calendar system to stay organized and build a relationship with your professors because they can help you. Also, go into everything with a 鈥榞et to’ mindset rather than a ‘have to鈥� mindset.鈥� Read LT鈥檚 Strong Story.听