Written by: Sarah Greene-Falk, Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
Transitions are not easy, but there are ways we can ease the pain and frustrations. Student-athletes are under more pressure due to the expectations of their minds and bodies to perform. If we are asking our minds and bodies to perform at their best, we need to make sure the fuel, environment and setup is conducive for success.
1. Knowledge
Knowledge is power! If we know what to expect, we can plan. Do you know your schedule? Do you know where your classes might be? Do you know anything about your teacher(s)/professors? Who might be in your classes? Do you have everything you need for the class? If you’re not sure on these, you may want to find out. It will help you plan, be more organized, decrease anxiety, and decrease stress. Naturally, we are going to feel stress and anxiety returning to school. If it’s a new school or we are going away to college, it will be an even bigger life transition. Walk your schedule on the college campus so you know where things are at and how long it will take you. Details like this will matter when you’re stressed, there’s snow and ice, or running late to class.
2. Routine
Building back up your routine after the summer can be hard. There are certain things you may want to keep constant like your workouts/practices, study time, social time, and downtime for yourself. Where in your schedule can you fit it in? Schedule the priorities because otherwise, they may not happen. We know how important these things are to our mental health. If we are asking our minds and bodies to perform at their peak, we need to make the fuel and environment conducive for success. Otherwise, we need to revise our expectations. Routines also help our mind rest because they consist of putting together tasks that we do all the time. This frees up our working minds to think about other things that we’d rather be thinking about. If you need to do something daily or weekly, add it to something that you already do routinely.
3. Resources
We all need help and support from time to time so grease those wheels now BEFORE you need them. Who can you turn to if you’re struggling with certain subjects? Are you familiar with the library and even some of the staff to help you in a pinch if needed? If you’re away at college, how often can you go to the store if needed? Do you have extra snacks in your room? If you’re living at home, have a conversation with whoever does the grocery shopping to make sure you consistently have the fuel that your body needs to perform.
4. Self-compassion
We are all coming off of the summer and depending on what we did, we may or may not be in shape or cognitively sharp. Give yourself some room and permission to adjust. It’s like testing the water before we jump in. First, put your toe in. Then put all your toes in. Then dip your whole foot in. We can’t have unreasonable expectations in the first 1-2 weeks of school so plan accordingly. You will gradually adjust if you give yourself the chance.
5. Plan
Whether you are in high school or college, if you are a student-athlete, you will regret not using your planner. Use your phone if you have to. There are practices, games/meets, tests, projects, and that doesn’t even cover your social life. When you get your syllabus, write down all the homework, paper, and project due dates. Write down test dates. Write down all the games/meets; practices if you want as well. The week BEFORE the test, make a note that the following week you have that test. This will help you study beforehand so you’re not caught off guard. What if you have an away meet weekend? You’ll need to notify teachers, possibly turn in things early, etc. If you use your phone, use reminder alarms. Reminder alarms are the best if you set them right away, in the moment. These are resources that can help us help ourselves.
Student-athletes have numerous expectations from others and themselves. Planning like this only shows how important it is to you to be at the top of your game in your sport and academically.
Click the link for more information on Performance Coaching for Athletes or Life Transitions Counseling.
Sarah Greene-Falk, Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Sarah is a licensed counselor specialized in sport and performance psychology with a unique background in physical therapy, massage therapy and personal training. Using psychological skills and mental training, she helps athletes, performers, and leaders of all walks of life create their ‘mental game plans’; Specifically helping with emotional regulation, performance anxiety, performance enhancement and to be happy. Her 5 module online mental training program for confidence and resilience, available for purchase on her website, teaches clients this process in a workshop webinar. Sarah has worked with all levels of athletes including D1 and Olympians, as well as C-level executives, expert musicians, and professionals in the performing arts.
