Daily Grind columns are are posted every Wednesday to provide an introduction into a day in the life of a college athlete and an example of time management skills.
Olivia Walczak is a Freshman at Saint Francis University, where she is an outside hitter for the women's volleyball team. As a DI athlete, Olivia balances a busy schedule of practices, lifts, and traveling, on top of being a student. She is a nursing major, which is no easy feat as an athlete, so she's broken down her daily schedule to give us an idea of a day in the life of a Division I volleyball player.
7:15 Wake up and Eat Breakfast
During the season, Olivia starts her days at 7:15am. This gives her time to fuel up and get ready for the day.
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8-9 Lift
Athleticism is an important part of any college sport, so Olivia spends the 8-9am hour every day on her lifts.
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9-4 Class
Olivia's classes start as early as 9am, and are scheduled for the middle of the day to avoid conflicts with classes and lifts. Scheduling classes in this way makes it easier to see school as a “9-5” and manage your time throughout the day. Time between classes might be spent getting lunch, taking a break, or getting ahead on homework.
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5:30 Dinner
Olivia makes sure to get dinner in after class to fuel herself for late-night practice. This is an important part of maintaining your physical and mental health as an athlete.
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7-9 Practice
Olivia spends ~2 hours every evening at team practice. This time might also be spent visiting the trainers for treatment or preventative care before or after practice.
9-11 Homework
Time after practice is dedicated to homework, catching up on whatever needs done, and winding down before bed.
11:30 Bedtime
The goal is to be in bed by 11:30, if Olivia gets all her work done in time. This allows her a full night's sleep before doing it all again the next day.
Related: Importance of Sleep as an Athlete
Being a student-athlete is very time-consuming, but with proper time management and a trusty planner, it is possible to get it all done in a day and have enough time to sleep. Olivia is a perfect example of the dedication it takes to stick to a schedule and be a successful college athlete.
Have a question you need answered or an idea of an athlete we should interview? Email us at editorial@2adays.com
* Originally published on December 8, 2021, by Christie Ackendorf
