About my past with sports
I’ve always enjoyed sports and stood out because I played them for over 2 hours every day and still managed to get great grades at school. I played badminton in the mornings, football after school, and practiced karate in the evenings. I was also part of the school swim team. Although I don't do as much now as I did then, I believe it's important to talk about the way sports guided me - and how they can help you too. One thing I'd like to make super clear is that you don't have to be a state-level athlete or anything of that sort to be able to manage physical well-being with your academic life.
Movement in general
When we think of movement or sports, we assume they have to be sweat-inducing, like running and lifting weights at the gym. We don't think of mundane instances like walking home from our school/college every day. But that's still giving your body some of the love it deserves.
If you’ve been doing any sports and realize that you have not been studying enough, please don't stop all your activities. That's really difficult for your brain to do, and as a result, you are likely to experience anxiety attacks, hence receiving lower grades.
You can still get into sports
My swimming and football came to a halt after the lockdown. So I decided to try some yoga, to calm myself down. It's been 2 years, and I'm still a beginner. But that’s alright. What matters is that you knew something that you didn't know before.
If you haven't been moving due to the lack of time, just try 15 minutes each day, instead of scheduling 45-minute sessions. Maybe yoga. A walking meditation. Jogging. Dancing.
Onto the actual balance part for proper student-athletes
If you are already an athlete, here’s what is recommended:
Make a routine: plan your most productive hours doing what you need to do in order to ensure your efficiency. Try to squeeze in a lot of space for happiness. Prioritize what's most important for you now: if you have a sports competition coming up, that is what your effort should go into. If there’s an important test, maybe that’s what you need to do for 2 or 3 hours in the evening. If you have both of these at the same time, weigh the options. On the inside, you will know what you want to do more.
If you juggle multiple sports, don't do all of them on the same day. Space them out.
Pretty basic. But STRETCH. I also recommend meditating.
Ask your teachers and coaches what they would recommend if you feel stressed. Sports coaches especially; they don't expect you to live, breathe and eat sports and might take some of the weight off your shoulders.
Finally, go for it! It’s going to be second nature to you in two weeks, and it’s going to contribute to a healthier, happier you. So make yourself the all-rounded student you crave to be!!
( Nanda Mullappally. )
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