Finals pressure

How do you prepare for finals? “It’s a long process, we study for, like, 15, 16, 17 weeks and what I like to do at the end of the semester is, like, a quick review, because I’ve been studying all this time and I feel should be ready for the final. So, at the end it’s, like, a little review.”

How do you balance your school time and sports time? “This semester has been a challenge because, for example, Mondays and Wednesdays we have practice at 2:30 and I have a class at 3. So, I haven’t been able to practice with the team on Mondays and Wednesdays. So, I have to find extra time to put an extra hour to practice here.”

Have you ever failed a final? “I would say, no.”

Does finals week affect your performance during that week’s games or competition? “Maybe. I mean, I would like to have finals and conference [on] different weeks. They’re pretty much back to back. I’ll be better if we had more time in between them.”

What is it the most challenging test that you are going to take this week? “The WAC Conference Championship. In the classroom, I have a Physiology and Anatomy II Lab final.”

Do you have any time management issues studying for finals and having practice or competitions? “Not really, I mean, I’m usually that kind of person that leaves everything to the last minute. So, I usually have long nights before exams, but it’s just a decision of my own. I’ve had enough time to prepare ahead of time, but it’s just the way I am. I just like to do it all at the last minute. I need to have the pressure to work with it.”

Do you think it’s difficult to balance sports and school? “It is difficult, but I think it help us as being athletes, knowing that playing a sport it’s not only our responsibility but we also have to perform good in class in order to keep scholarships or have a spot in the team. Having both things to balance makes us better athletes, better students and better people.”

How much time do you spend training? “I think we have, like, 20 hours of scheduled practice during the week and we always try to get some extra hours in our free time.”

Is there any studying tip or advice you want to give to other student athletes or students in general? “For students that are not athletes, if you ever have a chance to join in, like, a sport or team, I encourage them to do so because I feel it’s really important to be part of the whole athletic department. We’re 16 sports and one team and I think it feels pretty good to be part of it. For my colleagues, student athletes, keep on top of the work in class because sometimes we tend to pay more importance to the sport, but what we do in class is also really important. So, it’s important to keep the good work in both aspects.”

How do you prepare for finals? “I always start really early;  I don’t want to do everything at the last moment. I already planned everything right now, so I’m ready for the finals and don’t have to stress last moment, but I’m always prepared.”

Do you have any time management issues studying for finals and having practice or competitions? “Most of my finals are, like, in the afternoon, which is perfect because most workouts are in the morning, so I can really schedule finals, workout, it’s perfect for me.”

Do you think it’s difficult to balance sports and school? “I don’t think it’s easy, but I feel, like, if you plan everything really good, you can do it.”

How much time do you spend training? “That’s a hard question. I think, like, every day around two, maybe three hours, depends. So, I think two, three hours a day, six times a week.”

Is there any studying tip or advice you want to give to other student athletes or students in general? “Plan. If you don’t plan it, it’s hard, because then everything comes at the last moment, and then you still have practice, maybe meets or competitions, and it’s impossible … so plan.”

How do you prepare for finals? “I put all the work that I learned all the semester or all the month that I need to prepare for that exam and just trust it. I’m a visual learner.”

How do you balance your school time and sports time? “It’s pretty hard. Sometimes you need to skip practices because you have a lot of work to do, or you have to meet with a professor, or do extra credit, group projects or something like that. Honestly, time management and just separate the importance of each thing of school and sports and just respect each other.”

Have you ever failed a final? “Oh, yeah! My freshman year I was a mess in school. I remember College Algebra was hard for me and I failed that final, for sure.”

Does finals week affect your performance during that week’s games or competition? “Not really. I try to finish everything before traveling, so I can focus only in golf during the weekend.”

What is it the most challenging test that you are going to take this week? “I need to do a research paper before May 1 and I have conference this week. So, it’s going to be challenging putting all the importance to conference because that’s my priority right now, honestly. But, I need to do the research paper. So, I will see how it goes.”

Do you have any time management issues studying for finals and having practice or competitions? “Not really. How I said, I don’t study before a test. I just put all my knowledge and trust it.”

Do you think it’s difficult to balance sports and school? “It is. The first year it is, for sure. You need to accommodate everything for the sport you play and for your classes. As a freshman, you don’t think that’s important, so I would say at the beginning it’s really hard but now, you get used to, like, a model to follow and now it’s pretty easy.”

How much time do you spend training? “I mean, we have 20-hours limit with the coach or with the team. But, you know our sport, a lot of our free time is practice. So, I would say, like, a lot of time during the day we practice.”

Is there any studying tip or advice you want to give to other student athletes or students in general? “Come and try it out. It’s pretty interesting and you learn a lot, and it prepares you if you want to go professional for your sport. It’s a really good way to prepare yourself for it, and in that time you will get a degree and that’s pretty amazing, because I don’t know if your degree is plan B or plan A in your life. But, at the same time, you are playing the sport you love, so it’s pretty good.”

How do you prepare for finals? “I cram everything the last day, the last hours, honestly.”

Do you have any time management issues studying for finals and having practice or competitions? “Yes, because I prioritize running instead of studying. If I’m tired, I have to go to sleep. I don’t care that I have to stay up and read or study.”

Do you think it’s difficult to balance sports and school? “Definitely. It’s difficult.”

How much time do you spend training?  “Two, three [hours a day].”

Is there any studying tip or advice you want to give to other student athletes or students in general? “Don’t wait until the last minute. It’s a little better if you actually read, which I have done before, and it works out. But, it’s just so difficult just trying to get some sleep, trying to eat, running. But just read a week before.”

–Compiled by Sports Reporters Ramiro Barrera and Maria Flores