By Cody Evans, Swimming World College Intern
It’s that time of year again– incoming freshmen are beginning to prepare for their first year of college. The excitement has set in and the shop for dorm supplies has already been completed. This experience freshmen are about to embark on is something completely new. Going into your first year is intimidating and can easily get the best of any college student; never mind a student athlete. So freshmen, here are some tips for your college prep and first few months away from home.
1. Be yourself.
Head swimming & diving coach of La Salle University, Jamie Platt, said that “the best advice I can give to any incoming freshman is to be yourself. Don’t start off on the wrong foot by being someone you think they want you to be.” One of the worst things you could do is go into a new setting and act like someone you are not, just to make sure that people like you. Being who you are is the best way to be sure people enjoy who you are. Pretending to be someone else will give your team the wrong impression of your character, which is the last thing you want because these are the people you will be spending the next four years with.
Platt tells us that “swimming reveals character and reveals the true you.” It’s most important to be confident with who you are, this will help you manage the new experience well. “Be proud of who you are and what you have accomplished,” Platt explains. This will help you be the best student and the best athlete that you can be.
2. Don’t make assumptions.
When choosing a school, you didn’t jump to any conclusions. You most likely went on a recruiting trip and experienced the school and everything it had to offer before making a decision. So after finally getting to this school you so carefully chose, don’t jump to any conclusions. Let yourself settle into your new life and don’t let some little things you don’t like sway you into thinking you made a mistake. Give yourself time to get used to this great experience. If you are homesick, wait it out. The longer you are at your school and the more you get into a schedule and routine, your school will feel more like home and you team will feel more like family.
3. Create a support system.
Being an athlete is one of the best ways to go through college. It gives you the ability to meet people you connect with right away. All the other athletes at your school know exactly what it’s like to train 20 plus hours a week and manage a full course load while also trying to maintain somewhat of a social life. They get that you’re constantly busy, so when you finally get the chance to hang out it makes it that much more enjoyable. Having these friends – athletes or not – that you can count on for pretty much anything makes college so much easier and more fun. This new family that you created allows you to focus more on why you’re in college and lets you forget about missing home.
4. Be physically prepared.
After speaking with Boise State’s head swim & dive coach, Jeremy Kipp, he gave some great advice regarding how to be optimally prepared as you dive into the swimming part of being a student-athlete. Kipp said that swimmers should come into college in their “best physical shape.” They should be ready to tackle whatever their new coach and team throws at them. Kipp explained that they need to be “physically ready.”
Your fitness should be better than it’s ever been before stepping into college swimming. Having a big focus meet at the end of the summer leading into your freshman year should help with college preparedness, Kipp said. Having this focus meet gives you the opportunity to perform well right before leaving. This is really a time to make the most of your last days as a club swimmer, Kipp added.
5. Communicate.
In almost everything we do in life, communication is crucial. In order to succeed, we must be able to communicate with others. Coach Kipp says that “you should be communicating with the other incoming freshmen prior to leaving for school.” Getting to know your class is important for creating bonds with the people you will be spending the next four years of your life with. According to Kipp, it’s important to not only communicate with the other freshmen, but also with all of your other teammates and college coaches.
This consistent communication with your team will only help ease you into the college swing of things. Your other teammates can help you with anything from explaining what a typical day looks like, to what textbooks you need, to what kind of food they serve at the cafeteria. Your teammates are there for you to lean on. They can pretty much answer any question you throw at them– they lived out the exact same transition you are going through now.