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It’s Better to Be Both
 
Did you know that there are people in the world who don’t need to pay a single cent for college? It may seem unbelievable, but it is true! Who exactly are these people? Why do colleges and universities want them to choose their schools instead of the students wanting the universities to choose them?

These people are called student athletes. They are people who have mastered time management and a stable work ethic. They find ways to balance their time between their academics and their sports. “If it seems complicated, why do they do it? ”You may ask. They do it because they are aware of the future benefits that will come to them. With balancing sports and studies, their daily routines or schedules are definitely not so ordinary. They wake up and start the day off by finding themselves some motivation. Then, they use organizers and other planners to help them balance their complicated tasks.

 The Cons

The legendary American tennis champion, Arthur Ashe, once said, “Success is a journey, not a destination. The doing is often more important than the outcome.” I have mentioned the destination, which contains all the benefits and accomplishments which they will achieve later in life, but what about the “journey”? 

Student athletes struggle to maintain their difficult schedules or even a steady work ethic. Being a student athlete is about balance and time management. It may seem hard at first, but we will all have to get used to it someday for future work. Some people may think that being a student athlete means just waiting for the scholarships to come after practicing a sport a few times, and getting average grades. But that statement is incorrect. Student athletes put in a lot of effort in everything they do. They have discipline, courage, and strength in order to not give up and soon succeed.They learn to accept things whether they like it or not. Because they are normal human beings, they still face rejection, no matter how hard they work.

The Pros

Like mentioned earlier, student athletes work so hard because they are aware of the future benefits. What are these future benefits that student athletes encounter? For instance, student athletes develop a useful work ethic, make long-lasting friendships, and receive academic assistance. Student athletes get to encounter great opportunities that can shape their future. They get recruited and get offered amazing scholarships, which help to clear up their worries about college. They are also able to manage leadership tasks with ease. 

Student athletes have long lasting friendships. They learn how to connect with one another, and they often work with teamwork and leadership. According to the National Institutes of Health,(NIH), those who are exposed more outside school are more likely to make friends. NIH also did a research experiment on this topic. With their research on 387 athletes, they found out that relations in sports can vary from “social mechanisms of contact, homophily, and contagion”.

Which is better?

Finally, I will entertain the question," Is being a student athlete better than being a regular student or athlete?” Student athletes are more likely to experience higher levels of stress and a poor mentality, but it is all worth it when success blossoms and amazing opportunities come. In fact, student athletes are 15% more likely to attend college than regular students or athletes. 
 
In conclusion, student athletes do have some difficulties containing extra stress or time management issues, but it will all be worth the blood, sweat, and tears when the great opportunities come. They don’t need to think about colleges, their expenses, or future financial issues. Young student athletes have their future decided already at their age. So, after my point of view on “Which is better?” What do you think? Which is better to be? A regular student or athlete who still has to figure out some financial problems they will encounter, or a student-athlete will be carefree from debt or expenses of further education in the future.