A Day in the Life of a D1 Swimmer in the US
Dive Into a Day as a College Swimming Athlete and Journalism Student
Have you ever wondered what it’s like to study at college with a swimming scholarship? Get a unique glimpse into women’s D1 college swimming through Keystone Sports ambassador Helena Robla! Helena is a D1 swimmer and journalism student at Northern Arizona University. In this article, she’ll share a typical day in her life, including her swimming practice, academic responsibilities, and work at the school’s TV station.
Hi there! My name is Helena Robla and I am a swimmer from Spain. This is my fourth year as a student-athlete living in the U.S. I am a senior on Northern Arizona University’s Swimming and Diving team. I mostly focus on mid-distance freestyle events, and I am pursuing a major in journalism, with a minor in communication and a sports and adventure media certificate.
Before moving to Flagstaff, I had so many questions about everything, but one of the biggest ones was probably what my days were going to look like. Was I going to have enough time to study and keep up with classes? Were workouts going to leave me too tired to get anything done the rest of the day? Of course, every semester and day of the week will be slightly different, but with just a bit of organization I promise it is not as hard as you might think!
Morning Routine as a D1 Swimming Athlete
I start off my day waking up at 5:25 a.m. for our morning weights session. My apartment is right next to the Student Athlete High Performance Center where we lift, so I get there about 20 minutes before the workout starts. This gives me enough time to get some breakfast at the fueling station -usually some cereal- and get any pre-workout treatment if needed.
This week I just put some heating pads on my back for a couple of minutes to avoid any soreness. We lift from 6 to 7 a.m. and after that I usually go to the athletic training room and do some contrasts in the hot and cold tubs. If something is hurting or feels extra sore, I will go see one of our athletic trainers and get some treatment instead. After that I get breakfast at the fueling station again. They make oatmeal for us in the mornings, so I usually have a bowl of that with some toppings and a protein shake.
Around 7:45 a.m. I go back home and rinse off. I usually take a quick 30-minute nap and then get some homework done. I’m done with all of the more general classes so most of my work consists of writing stories and editing videos for the school’s news outlets. I’ve recently finished an article on a local ultramarathon for one of my classes that got published in the city’s newspaper. I’m so proud of it!
At 10 a.m. I go back to the athletic training room and do some preventive and strengthening exercises for my shoulders and hips. This usually takes around an hour and then I go back home to do some more schoolwork and have lunch.
Afternoon Swim Practice and Schoolwork
After that, I pack my things and bike to the pool for swim practice. It starts at 1:30 p.m., but I usually get there half an hour early so I can stretch and do some mobility exercises before getting in the water.
Practice ends at 3:30 and then I have class at 4:00 p.m., so I have a quick shower, change and eat a snack before heading to the School of Communication building on campus. This class is basically working for the school’s TV station.
I have been doing it for two semesters now, so now I get to create content and work at my own pace most of the time. Classes vary from staff meetings, workshops, shows or rehearsals where I help produce our anchor our newscast, heading out to take videos and interview sources, or just working on editing news packets.
Unwinding After a Busy Day as a Student-Athlete
This is my only class on Tuesdays, so after that I am done for the day. It officially ends at 5:15 p.m., but if I am working on something that requires more time I will usually stay there working for longer. The Media Innovation Center inside the School of Communication has a lot of editing booths, a sound booth and the room where we keep all of our equipment, so it is a lot easier to get things done there.
After that, I bike back home and make dinner. If I have a lot of homework, I’ll work some more after eating, but, if not, I will usually read for a bit or watch some TV with my three roommates. I end the day with some journaling, and I try to be in bed by 9:00 p.m. so I can be well rested when I wake up at 5:15 the next morning!
Does it seem exciting to be a student-athlete in the US on a swimming scholarship? Take the first step to make it happen! Fill out Keystone Sports assessment form and get a free evaluation of scholarship chances.
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About the author
Paulina Romo
Paulina Romo, SEO Specialist at Keystone Sports, holds a Master’s degree in Business Administration and has a background in equestrian sports, specializing in dressage. Shaped by international experience gained from work and studies in Sweden, South Korea, Germany, and Spain, Paulina brings a diverse blend of marketing skills and perspectives to her role.
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