Alright, so a lot of you asked how I handle school and tennis without losing my mind, especially with this whole Sport Etudes tennis schedule thing. I figured I’d just dump my whole journey here—warts and all—because hey, it might help someone else out there. Let’s start from the beginning, no sugarcoating.
Why I Got Into This Mess
It all kicked off last year when I was drowning in homework and feeling like crap. I saw this Sport Etudes program advertised online, promising to blend tennis training with classes, and I thought, “Sure, why not? Sounds easy enough.” I signed up without thinking much, assuming it’d be a breeze. Big mistake, people. Big mistake. I just showed up on day one, all excited, not realizing how much it would change my routine.
The first week, I dragged myself out of bed at 5:30 AM because that’s when the tennis drills started. Coach was strict as hell—like, running laps if you’re late—so I had no choice but to bolt down breakfast (usually toast and fruit, nothing fancy) and rush to the court. Training went on for two solid hours: sprints, serves, you name it. By 8 AM, I was soaked in sweat and already feeling wiped. Then, off to school for classes starting at 9. The real fun began when I slumped into my desk, struggling to pay attention while my legs felt like jelly.
How My Day Unfolded
Here’s the ugly truth of it all in a nutshell:
- Mornings sucked: Up at the crack of dawn for tennis, then straight to school with zero energy left. I’d drink coffee like water just to stay awake in math class.
- Afternoons were chaos: Classes ended around 3 PM, but I had to be back on the court by 4 for more drills. That meant cramming lunch in 10 minutes and trying to sneak in homework during breaks.
- Evenings brought pain: Get home by 6:30 PM, wolf down dinner, and then it’s homework time till I collapsed. Forget hanging out with friends—I was too exhausted.
At first, I thought I could handle it all. But reality hit hard after a month. I started missing assignments because tennis overran, and my grades tanked. One day, I even slept through my alarm and missed practice, earning a lecture from the coach. The worst was when my teacher called me out for falling asleep during history—pure embarrassment.
Figuring Out the Balancing Act
So how did I fix this train wreck? Well, I didn’t have some magic solution. I just experimented like crazy. For starters, I cut out all the useless stuff—bye-bye video games and late-night scrolling. I started packing my schoolbag the night before to save morning time. Then, I roped in my family: mom helped prep meals so I could eat on the run, and dad took over laundry duty.
The real breakthrough came when I talked to my teachers. I spilled everything about the schedule, and they gave me a bit of slack—like extra time on assignments if tennis ran late. Coach also eased up a tad once he saw I wasn’t slacking. Slowly, I built a system where I focused hard during tennis time, then switched gears to hit the books. Not perfect, but it worked.
By month three, I nailed a routine that actually held up. I still had days where I felt like quitting—say, after losing a match or bombing a test—but I stuck with it. Grades bounced back, and my tennis game improved. Now, I’m halfway through, and it’s not easy, but I’m pulling it off. Honestly, the biggest lesson? Don’t expect it to be glamorous. It’s messy, exhausting, but totally doable if you grind through the tough parts.