It’s that time of year where students have settled into their classes at school. Along with school comes sports, which means practice after school. Some students also have a job along with the responsibilities of being an athlete. Recently we interviewed GPHS freshman, Matthew Mans, who is in fact juggling school and football while also having a job. Mans manages his time so that he also has time for school work, family, and friends. He said, “It helps me a lot to limit my time on my phone,” This strategy helps him to stay focused.
Not only does he have a lot on his plate, but he is also experiencing a new environment as an incoming freshman. He said, “School work is easier, but football is definitely a bigger commitment.” If you are curious to know just how busy his schedule is, not even counting game days or early morning practices, this is a typical day in his life. He wakes up at 6:00 a.m. and eats breakfast. Then, he has a full 8 hour day of school, with football practice after. Then, it’s time for work and he doesn’t get home until about 10:30 p.m., only leaving about an hour for him to do school work. After finishing everything up he goes to bed around midnight.
Burnout is a very real thing so Matthew shared what motivates him when he does feel burnt out. He said, “Get hyped. Crack jokes. Getting raises and maintaining a high grade.” People are also great motivators, especially those who want to see you succeed. Some people he mentioned were his coaches and his parents. Though being a student-athlete, plus an employee, can be stressful at times, it can also teach you a lot of useful skills to use throughout life.
