With final exams in just two weeks, most students have begun preparing for their tests. To some individuals, exam week can prove to be a tedious time. However, for athletes participating in daily practices and competitive sports, getting through semester exams can be a real challenge.
Balancing sports with the classroom can be a challenge for any athlete. Students involved in sports have to learn proper time management and for baseball player Darryl Evans, this fact remains absolute.
Evans, 20, who serves as centerfielder, said he is going to have to find time between baseball and his studies.
“I know I’m going to have to study big time,” said Evans, a sophomore education student from Gary, Ind. “If we have away games before the exams then I’ll take my textbooks with me to study.”
Exam week begins April 21 and ends the 25th. The Florida A&M baseball team has games scheduled April 22 and 23 against Alabama State and North Florida. Evans said he is ultimately a student before an athlete.
“We have to learn to focus on school and baseball,” he said. “School is the number one priority.”
Rachel Pye, 19, a tennis athlete, agreed with the baseball player. Her biggest concern is her chemistry exam.
“It is going to be kind of hard focusing on studies and tennis at the same time,” said Pye, a sophomore health science student from Miami. “Our championship is before finals week and we come back that Sunday. I’m going to study while traveling.”
Students involved with baseball, softball, tennis, track and football will be the ones who exam week could possibly affect. Since basketball season is over, some basketball players are confident they will do just fine on their tests.
Denise Tate, 21, a forward on the Lady Rattlers basketball team, said basketball season ended just in the nick of time.
“I’m happy that I’ll be able to study more,” said Tate, an Ohio native majoring in criminal justice. “At the beginning of the semester we were busy traveling and playing ball. It’s a big plus now to be able to study. We missed so much at the beginning of the semester and we have to finish strong.”
When it comes to final exams, some students usually have to double up on their studies. However for athletes, they may have to triple up.
And a little prayer goes a long way, too.