Mental Health and Student Athletes

Exercise is one of a variety of healthy coping mechanisms as well as an important part of life. Big life changes such as starting college can make it harder to maintain your normal routines. Many student athletes stop playing their respective sports  making it incredibly difficult to situate yourself in a new environment When I started my freshman year in college, I completely stopped playing tennis, which is a sport I’m very passionate about and not being connected to it made it harder to adjust to a new environment. Now into my second year, I have recently started playing tennis recreationally and trying out new sports like triathlon, which have given me a clear mind, and introduced me to a lot of great people along the way.   Being a student athlete ties exercise to your identity, and it’s important to keep being you! Here are a couple tips to help you, as a student athlete, transition into college life.  

1. Join an intramural or competitive sports group

It’s important to maintain your passions. Join an intramural or competitive sports group and keep playing the sport that you love! With new classes and new routines making it hard to adjust to college, finding a sports group can help you stay active, find friends, and keep a daily or weekly routine. When I started college, I failed to join a team right away, and have recently joined a triathlon club. Joining this group, made me realize that being more active earlier would have made my transition to college smoother. As a result of joining this group, I have met some great friends and found a fun way to keep my competitive sports spirit alive. 

2. Try out new sports

Trying new things is what your college years are for! In the past, experimenting with sports outside of your favorite sport might have seemed intimidating. Groups like intramural sports, where people get together and play for fun and exercise, can reduce this initial  anxiety and make it more fun to try new things. Who knows, you may find a new passion that can help keep you balanced when going along your college journey. 

3. Pay attention to your diet. 

The Freshman 15 can be a real issue as a student athlete since your diet and exercise routine are thrown off balance. Going from working out at least two hours a day to none at all and changing you eating habits can make it really difficult to maintain a healthy weight for you. By making the effort to eat a healthy, well balanced diet, including lots of fruits and vegetables, you can help make sure you have a clear mind and are ready for a productive day. It is also important to attempt to eat at healthy times and not to eat too late into the night. This will help prevent digestive problems, gaining weight, or negative affects your sleep cycles as a result of hormone imbalance.

All in all, maintaining a passion like playing a sport can be difficult when going through various transitions including starting college. Joining a sports group, trying out new sports, and maintaining a healthy diet can help make this transition easier mentally and physically.