It's no secret that college athletes are busy people. But just how much can one person do in a single day? We sat down with Columbia University basketball player Jaden Cooper to find out. Here's a peek at his daily grind.
7:30 AM – Start of The Day
Jaden starts his day at 7:30 every morning. He gets up and does his normal routine: brushes his teeth, gets dressed and heads to John Jay Dining Hall or Ferris Booth Commons. He usually goes for a hearty breakfast with lots of eggs bacon and biscuits n' gravy.
Related: Rate Columbia University
8:00 AM – Full Day of Classes Begin
As a pre-med student, Jaden has a lot of core classes lined up from 8:00AM to 11:30AM, usually in biology, chemistry, or a number of science classes. We have no doubt Jaden has his hands full with Columbia University being ranked #2 in the nation for the value of education provided.
12:00 PM – Mandatory Lift
Three days a week, Jaden is required to attend mandatory weight lifting sessions with his teammates. They head to the state-of-the-art Campbell Sports Center Weight Room where they navigate the 8,000 square foot training area that offers 5,000 pounds of free weights as well as numerous machines for strength and conditioning.
1:00 PM – Practice
Practice usually starts at 1:00 PM and goes until 4:00 PM. During this time, he and his teammates get taped up and helped by the sports doctor. They also watch film from previous games and study their mistakes and what to work on.
5:00 PM – Nap Time
After practice, Jaden states that he is “always exhausted and ready for a nap” so he returns to his room to get an hour of shut-eye.
Related: 6 Tips to Improve Your Sleep Schedule
6:30 PM – Dinner
After resting, Jaden usually grabs dinner around 6:30 PM with his teammates. This is one of his favorite times of the day and where many memories are made.
7:00 PM – School Work
After eating dinner, Jaden heads to Barnard College Library or the Health Science Library to get his school work done for the day. He strives to get all his work done a couple days in advance so he never feels like he is juggling too many tasks.
11:00 PM – Time to Get Much Needed Rest!
If he is not hanging out with his friends or playing video games, Jaden calls it a day around 11:00 PM.
Image Credit: Columbia University Athletics
What's your Daily Grind like? Email us at [email protected]
* Originally published on August 10, 2022, by Mary Archibald
