People hear the term "Student- Athlete" and often get a bad taste in their mouth. You see in the news college athletes getting away with fake classes, failing grades and so much more. The common belief is that we get paid to play a sport, we don't have to pay for anything, classes are easy because professors pass us no matter what and that going to college is easy because we don't have to pay attention and we just have to perform on the field. Although things have happened in the past, reality is that is a very small population of student athletes that has had that privilege and it infuriates many college athletes that something that has happened. The simple plain truth is that athlete privilege is not a thing.
Coming from my experience and my friends experience we do not receive "special perks" in the class room. If we are going to be gone for a game we take the test early or turn on that paper before we leave. Yes some professors are a little lenient but they would offer any other student an accommodation if they asked respectively. I make sure I am at least 5 minutes early to every single one of my classes I attend every class so if/when I have to miss or my sport I don't fall too behind and I can say the same for my teammates and majority of the athletes at my university. We know gong into some classes that certain professors aren't found of student athletes due the common misconception that we don't care when in reality we almost care too much. We work our tails off to ensure we are getting the best education we can. We are incredibly blessed to have the opportunity (sometimes, because not everyone has one) to have a scholarship that covers part of our tuition. Yes I did say part. Full rides are extremely rare so the common misconception that we go to school for free is a big fat lie, just a little fyi.
On the topic of scholarships many student athletes have to find a way to pay for their school when scholarships don't cover it. There are plenty of student athletes who work on the side sometimes only during off season and others during season. This is something the stereotype never take in consideration. I am a student-athlete with a double major a minor, I'm involved in Greek life and I work two jobs. Luckily I have sorority sisters and bosses who are extremely understanding of my crazy schedule and work with me. Yes I am busy and many people would say I did to myself and I did I take full responsibility. Just because I do all of these things does not mean that my sport doesn't mean a lot or that it isn' that intense. We practice just like any other team with morning practice at 6 am, after noon practice at 2:30 and then lifting after that. So yes my sport is demanding and I love it. I wouldn't change being a student athlete I just have to put a little more effort into my schoolwork early and make sure I can find a good job willing to work with me and my hectic schedule.
Student-Athletes have to put school first. We need good grades in order to play so yes some students do the bare minimal it takes to just to pass. but not everyone is like that. Over a third of my University's athletes made it on the deans list and every single team has at least 4 athletes make it on the Athletic Directors list. We are Student-Athletes for a reason and the student comes first for a reason.
I would never give up being a student-athlete. If it weren't for my sport I wouldn't be able to attend the incredible University I am at, afford college without being in severe debt or play the sport I love. But please keep in mind next time there's a judgment about a student-athlete getting away with things and not having to work like an average student, think about this article. Student-athletes are the same as any other student the only difference is we have an added word to our title and we play a sport at our university. We still attend the same classes and work just hard and sometimes maybe even a little harder to make sure we can keep up with our smart peers around us. There is no such thing as athlete privilege, even when you think there is.
