Balancing roles: tennis vs school

Ever since I was a 5-year-old child, tennis and school have been integral parts of my life. Both have been ‘jobs’ and sources of enjoyment and ‘leisure’ at different periods of my life. Through high school, tennis and school took on the role of 'jobs.' Tennis, which had once been a form of exercise and enjoyment during my childhood, became a source of stress during my teenage years as I was chasing wins at tournaments and trying to get recruited. The pressure was overwhelming. Similarly, While I enjoyed certain classes in school, I was never confused about their roles in my life; It was just a means to get into a good college. With the presence of these two job-like activities, I found it hard to find time to have alternative leisure activities. The lack of leisure time led me to make sacrifices, such as giving up my lunchtime to participate in club activities or complete homework, and my sleep to complete assignments. My daily schedule was tightly packed, with tennis practice extending into the late evening till 9 p.m. The concept of leisure became almost foreign as I juggled between the demands of both 'jobs.'

However, after getting recruited and coming to Wellesley, I had a little more free time and flexibility in comparison to high school. While I still had tennis practice from 5-8 p.m. every day- occupying a substantial portion of my time, my classes were spread out over the week, giving me pockets of free time. This newfound freedom allowed me to enjoy leisure activities like watching my favorite shows, hanging out with my friends, and participating in other activities, and gave me enough time to finish my homework at a reasonable time.

Additionally, while tennis still took a significant amount of time, I began treating it as a leisure activity instead of a job. My perspective on tennis transformed. what was once a source of stress and pressure had now evolved into a leisure activity. I rediscovered my love for hitting the ball with all the power in me, competing and playing with my teammates. My practices became a channel for relaxation and enjoyment. Tennis, once a 'job,' has now returned to its roots as a source of joy in my life.

Conversely, college still feels like a 'job.' Despite my parents emphasizing the importance of exploring and enjoying the process of learning new things, college is still primarily a stepping stone to grad school or a better job. It remains a place where academic achievements are essential. While society encourages you to always be productive, I think it is essential to have the correct balance between work and leisure which I am trying to maintain.