The Life of a Student Athlete

Name: Sean Yun

Year: UCR Alumnus '16

Major: Economics

As a member of the UCR Men’s Tennis team, I found it extremely difficult in the beginning to balance both school and sport. I would wake up every weekday at the crack of dawn for scheduled lifting, go to class, have an hour lunch break, and then head back to practice from noon to 3pm. After practice, I would attend my afternoon classes, confused and lost because I was usually late from practice. I lacked sleep, fell behind on my coursework, and performed poorly in competition because of my inefficient time management. I knew that I had to make constructive changes to my schedule and habits if I were to be successful.

The one thing I really learned to manage was focusing on the things that I could control. From the amount of sleep I got, the number of meals I ate, to the amount of time I spent hanging out with my friends - I realized that all of these activities were distractions that hindered my performance both in the classroom and on the court. Once I realized that all of these factors were in my control, I began to prioritize everything.

One of the most important aspects was my nutrition, and making sure I had the right amount of carbohydrates to vitamins so I had enough energy during the day. I would cut out “free-time” I had with my friends and I would stay at home and rest/study so I could be prepared for the next day. It wasn’t easy, and it took a lot of sacrifice and dedication, but after doing it for a year, it became methodical and ordinary. I felt that I had the right combination of relaxation to stress so I could do better not only in school, but also with my team. I became a vocal leader, helping push the limits that our team could go, breaking the school record for most wins in a year and starting a winning culture.

Upon job searching during my senior year, I applied to over 100 companies, wrote over 10 different cover letters and had my resume edited by multiple people. I gathered as much advice as I could to get the job that I felt could be a stepping stone to the next chapter of my life. I was able to obtain over 10 interviews and multiple job offers by the end of it, and I think it was through sheer effort. The process was tough and stressful, but I would say persistence is the word that describes how I landed a job immediately after graduation at Sunwest Bank.

College goes by quicker than you imagine. Whether you’re a freshman/sophomore/junior or senior, you’ll feel that the time you’ve spent in college has been a huge rollercoaster ride of emotions. They’ll be days you’re motivated, days that you’re sad and even days that you want to give up. The biggest epiphany that I had that I wish I had sooner was that the time I spend now will directly influence and reflect my future. It’s important to enjoy your time in college, so have fun, enjoy what UCR has to offer, but remember the reason why you’re in college. It’s to create a better future for yourself and to make yourself a better person. So work hard, take the stress that college gives you and come out a stronger person. Graduating isn’t the end goal, it’s the next phase in adulthood where you’ll really be tested on whether or not you can be successful. Go through the development and trust the process 76’ers style [NBA basketball reference].

#whotellsyourstory #studentathlete #tennis