HOW I SURVIVED AS A STUDENT ATHLETE!
(Photo Creds: Neil Kennedy)
For readers who do not know me, I played on the McMaster U Women's Rugby team for four years. During that time I also played with Toronto Saracens, Rugby Ontario and participated in some Rugby Canada tours and camps along the way. I love rugby so much, I met my best friend through Rugby, pursued a career in social justice because of my volunteer participation with my rugby team. Rugby has helped me become a better leader, listener and money SAVER (if not the most valuable lesson I've learned).Rugby is not CHEAP but thankfully athletic scholarships helped me get through most of uni. I couldn't imagine what my OSAP and bank account would look like if I didn't get those scholarships because I still struggled A LOT. This blog post will list a few tips on how to save but mostly survive as a student athlete. As athletes we need to work out a lot and eat a lot. With a low low budget it's challenging to eat nutritious meals, work during school, save money and live a comfortable lifestyle during your time at school.
Here are some of the things I did to help me get by because truly during my undergraduate studies I saved $0 besides the money I saved for rent.
Hope this helps,
1. Work on campus
If you have the option, work on campus! When I started my undergrad I worked at Walmart which was a 30-40 minute commute from campus. I quickly realized that commuting after practices and games is extremely draining and challenging. In my final years, I worked at our campus bar which was a 10/10 experience. Not only did I get to see my roommates and teammates at the club, I got to literally leave my 7pm game and head straight to work (2-3 min walk).
2. Volunteering Not only does volunteering help you gain connections, give back and secure an internship or job after graduation. If you can convince your friends to volunteer with you, you get to spend time with them for free. Instead of going to a coffee shop and spending $10 on a coffee and sandwich; you can volunteer at a charity event. You get to see your friends, give back, get community hours and usually get free coffee and snacks!
3. Go to free campus events
FREE FREE FREE. Go to campus events. During my time at McMaster I would avoid making dinner most days of the week because I'd stop by information sessions and big campus events for there free food. This will help you save money, meet new people and learn about your academic institution. As an athlete this was perfect for me because I spent most of my time training on campus. Campus events helped me avoid travelling back and fourth from practice to my house to either grab food or by time.
4. Visiting home= grocery shopping
Groceries will become your biggest nightmare. When I was in school my weekly budget for groceries was $25.00!!!!! How I survived? I'm not sure. But what I did do was go home once a month and re up on groceries. As much food as I could hold in my backpack/ suitcase on my way back to school would do it. As an athlete, having a home cooked meal and healthy food is key. Without my parents pantry there's no way I would of made it through. For those who have this option, please utilize and save some cash!
5. Pre-Drinking vs. Shots at the club
I was not a big drinker in university, I spent 7-8 months of the school year (August-March) Training camp to 7s season not drinking to help my body grow and maintain fitness for rugby. THIS IS A MONEY SAVER!!! When I did drink I'd always drink at Pre's never at the bars. Bars will hike up their prices and honestly all the rich kids would host Pre's which was great. They are never shy of sharing their alcohol! Sounds like savings to me, take those free shots while you can (as long as you know the person of course).
6. Work all summer long
I never understood how students didn't work all summer long. This was the only way I was able to pay my rent throughout the school year. All the money I made in the summer would go towards my monthly rent. This is a great way to avoid owing OSAP so much money back and a great way to stay busy, motivated and focused in the summer. Saving in the summer for housing expenses allowed me to work less during the school year. Having rent money also allowed me to train harder, longer and stress free during the rugby season.
I hope these tips help you students save money and for all of you struggling university athletes stay focused, prioritize and be smart with your time.
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-Coll