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How does one balance athlete and student life in college without falling behind in either of them?
I am a first year at UTEP, and I'm starting cross-country in the fall, however; I've joined a lot of organizations, and I wouldn't want to drop them when I start competing. My organizations include: Student Association of Social Work as historian, MGI Gardening as a crew member, Peer Leader as a work-study job, and National Society of Leadership and Success.
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Liam’s Answer
Hey there Keilah -- Really thoughtful question, and I love how deeply you plan to immerse yourself in student life!
I was a student athlete at Princeton a few years back while also being in a few clubs and working two work study jobs. At the time, I felt very similar to how it sounds you feel: deeply committed to carrying through on everything I'd signed up for. In retrospect, I do wish I had given myself just a bit of grace and been more comfortable stepping away from activities as/when it made sense. For instance, during a semester where I had a few intense classes, I probably would have benefited from taking a break from my dance group for a bit with the intention of jumping back in the following semester.
Your time is yours to spend as you see fit; so, I would encourage you to be honest with yourself every now and again, assessing what's truly filling up your cup versus what may feel like it's draining it (and draining you!) You can be incredibly organized and diligent, but still, there are only so many hours in a day! So, if you feel like you're juggling too much, give yourself grace and make sure the activities you pursue (and stick with) are those that you really enjoy.
There's no shame in stepping away from something if it's no longer serving you!
I was a student athlete at Princeton a few years back while also being in a few clubs and working two work study jobs. At the time, I felt very similar to how it sounds you feel: deeply committed to carrying through on everything I'd signed up for. In retrospect, I do wish I had given myself just a bit of grace and been more comfortable stepping away from activities as/when it made sense. For instance, during a semester where I had a few intense classes, I probably would have benefited from taking a break from my dance group for a bit with the intention of jumping back in the following semester.
Your time is yours to spend as you see fit; so, I would encourage you to be honest with yourself every now and again, assessing what's truly filling up your cup versus what may feel like it's draining it (and draining you!) You can be incredibly organized and diligent, but still, there are only so many hours in a day! So, if you feel like you're juggling too much, give yourself grace and make sure the activities you pursue (and stick with) are those that you really enjoy.
There's no shame in stepping away from something if it's no longer serving you!
Shawndra Winter
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Shawndra’s Answer
Hi - As a former two-sport athlete and Academic All-American, I can say that balancing athlete and student life is possible, but it takes discipline and strong time management. What helped me most was treating academics with the same level of commitment as athletics. I had to stay organized, plan ahead, and be realistic about how much I could take on at one time.
Being involved in organizations is valuable, and I would not say you have to give that up, but you may need to adjust your level of involvement once your season starts. The biggest lesson I learned was that balance does not mean doing everything at once with no stress. It means knowing your priorities, managing your time well, and communicating when you need support. Some of my greatest successes post college were because of the groups I was in! Since you are already involved and motivated, I think you are in a strong position to make it work. Good luck and hang in there !
Being involved in organizations is valuable, and I would not say you have to give that up, but you may need to adjust your level of involvement once your season starts. The biggest lesson I learned was that balance does not mean doing everything at once with no stress. It means knowing your priorities, managing your time well, and communicating when you need support. Some of my greatest successes post college were because of the groups I was in! Since you are already involved and motivated, I think you are in a strong position to make it work. Good luck and hang in there !
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Navneet’s Answer
1) Accept the hard truth: not everything gets equal attention
During cross-country season, running is the priority. Period.
Everything else becomes:
primary (sport + academics)
secondary (orgs + jobs)
Trying to give 100% to everything = burnout.
2) Use a “season mindset”
Think in phases:
Competition season: sport + classes + minimum org involvement
Off-season: more org leadership + projects
You don’t quit organizations — you rotate intensity.
During cross-country season, running is the priority. Period.
Everything else becomes:
primary (sport + academics)
secondary (orgs + jobs)
Trying to give 100% to everything = burnout.
2) Use a “season mindset”
Think in phases:
Competition season: sport + classes + minimum org involvement
Off-season: more org leadership + projects
You don’t quit organizations — you rotate intensity.