Overwhelmed

[ThatCarGuy]

Really just looking for advice here. I’m currently enrolled in online self paced school as well as working a full time job at monkey sports to pay for my own gear and help pay for my season. I’m also still working out every day to stay in shape for the season but overall it’s taken a pretty big toll on me and my ability to do any of those things well. I was enrolled into online school nearly two months late and I’ve since fallen farther behind due to exhaustion and time constraints. I’ve missed nearly 3 weeks worth of hours despite starting a month ago at work because of combines and tryouts. I’m also no longer able to consistently do my off ice for the same reasons as school. Any suggestions?

Edited June 8, 2021 by ThatCarGuy

[coopaloop1234]

Welcome to adulthood my friend. Learning to balance work, health, and lifestyle is not an easy thing to do and there will always be sacrifices you'll have to make and sometimes life gets messy.

Years ago, I was about 5 months into a brand new mortgage when my company went through some downsizing and I was let go. This left me scrambling to work two jobs, both 30-40 hours a week. I was working from 6;00-2:30, driving for 40 minutes to my next job to work from 3:30 to 11:00pm. This went on for a few months before I was able to land a position that allowed me to drop the second job. The burnout was real.

My fiancee was having to balance a masters program in geochemistry while simultaneously having to work 20 hours a week just to make ends meet in one of the more expensive areas in Vancouver. She did this for two years. She was on such a tight budget that me bringing her a subway sandwich was seen as a massive treat.

Both of our experiences were tough and we had to make sacrifices while doing so. Saying that, we've both ended up in better situations than if we had never gone through those troubles and we can look back on those days and just laugh about it now.

Don't get what I'm saying twisted, I'm not trying to demean how you're feeling and the troubles you're experiencing, I'm just wanting to share similar stories of being overburdened with life in general and the sacrifices that come with it can be beneficial to you long term.

Ultimately I think you'll need to schedule your time more efficiently and re-prioritize certain aspects. It looks like you've put school at the bottom which is the last place it needs to be. I think you need to go in this order:

- School
- Health
- Hockey/Tryouts
- Working for league fees
- Working for new gear

Prioritize your schooling above all else. If your hockey career doesn't pan out, you'll be happy you at least kept that up.

Good Luck

Edit: I should also say that this is an opportunity to learn from for dealing with the balances of every day life. Without any major bills like rent/mortgage/dependents, you're in an advantageous position where all of your effort can be directed towards things that immediately benefit you. What you end up learning out of this will help guide you when you're older and things become less singular focused.

 

Edited June 8, 2021 by coopaloop1234

[RichMan]

I will second Coops words. Count yourself lucky you do not have a wife and kids, a mortgage and a car, credit card debts, blah blah blah.

As suggested, you will have to sit down and clarify your priorities. What are your future plans? How important is school for you? Can you survive and reach your goals without it? Some people have big dreams that necessitate that big diploma, some others make it by just getting out there and hustling hard. This is your choice and responsibility.

You have a job right now and that is good. I lost mine in January and I am still searching. Not easy times we are going through.

I do not know how the hockey system works down there but maybe you can find a NCAA contact to help you with your playing development.

Working out and conditioning can be done in a more efficient and shorter way to maximize results whilst getting more free time for the other important stuff like eating and sleeping .

Maria Mountain or DK Mobility could offer some tips in the off-ice scheduling part.

Just remember this: if it were easy, the little successes would not feel as sweet

I will come back with a few poscast suggestions to help you sort out your head.

In the meantime, chin up and keep grinding.

 

[MTH]

As a dad, I'd say focus on school and the greater goal. One of the best feelings in life is never having homework or a test again. Trying to get school done when you're older is insanely harder. Sports and all are just hobbies in the end. 

As an old hockey player - I wish I gave more to playing sports while in college. College never ends, but your time to play while a student does. You have 40 years of being a working adult ahead of you - don't rush to get there.

Good luck. There's no easy answer.

[CJ Boiss]

Coop probably has the best advice. Your top priority needs to be your health, and school. If you neglect your health then it doesn't matter what else you're doing, you won't be at your peak; and most guys, even if they end up playing hockey professionally, will end up doing other things after their career is over. Your education will be vitally important later in life, and shouldn't be overlooked. Health and school are the foundation for the rest of your life, and sacrificing either for a low-level retail job or hockey (much as we all might love it) is a bad idea.

Since you really want to pursue hockey as much as you can, it seem like you've already decided it's more important than your retail job, the catch being that it's also necessary to fund your hockey. Ideally, there should be people and support systems in your life that allow you to pursue your passions without worrying about money constantly. Obviously, that isn't a reality for lots of people, and there's no easy answers here. We don't know the specifics of your financial situation, so any advice we can offer on that front would be limited at best. (speaking very generally, I'd recommend seeing if there are any areas in your monthly budgeting that you can cut back in to save money, and also talking to your boss at work about changing your hours to better accommodate your school and hockey)

[MTH]

When I played baseball in college, I used my old catchers gear from high school still. I literally spray painted it black - it was royal blue - to match my Rutgers team colors.

I had no money.

But I played and was going to school for engineering - so no time for a job.