Being a finalist and a university rugby player undoubtedly brings its own unique set of challenges. Having said that, I donโt make life easy for myself a lot of the time โ as my friends will undoubtedly agree.
Iโm fortunate that studying History allows me to manage my time a lot more (with so few contact hours a week, itโs actually difficult to manufacture a clash), so Iโm normally able to hurry back to bed following 6am gym sessions which happen far too frequently for my liking.
Assuming I donโt have to dragย myself out of bed when itโs still dark to go and push some tin around, Iโll generally get up between the unholy hours of 8am and 9am. Most of my day, however, seems to revolve around making and eating copious amounts of food, so thatโll generally take up far too much of my time in the morning.
That being said, yesterday I was in the Rad Cam at opening time โ watch this space for some continued improvement in morning productivity. Fatigue is definitely an issue I face when attempting to get enough quality work time in throughout the day โ the post- lunch lull, as anyone (sporting or not) will tell you, is akin to pushing through the notorious โwallโ in any fitness session.
I suppose in my ripe old age as a finalist, itโs become less of an issue, with the result that the hours from 2-5pm are generally my most productive. I can then rip into training in the evening and come back and hang out with my housemates for some relaxation away from the books.
Iโve never understood people who are late night library shift enthusiasts โ my suspicion is that itโs half done for attention the next day, inspiring jealousy and anxiety in their friends and a sense of huge achievement in themselves. When it has to be done, it has to be done, but for me my bed is always a preferable alternative.
Itโs undoubtedly a busy life, butย I wouldnโt change it for the world: balancing sport and academics keeps me sharp for both of them, with each having their time and place. Iโm sure my tutors would rather I spent more time on the latter, and my coaches the former, but famously you canโt please everyone. I just hope I can keep hanging in there and get through this year with a degree and my body intact!