A Day in the Life of a Volleyball Player

Before arriving at Swarthmore, I thought I knew what being a collegiate student-athlete would look like. Although most of the basics are as expected, there are many small thrills and daily traditions ingrained in my life that I would never have anticipated just a few months ago. 

9:00 a.m. – I wake up to the sound of my buzzing alarm, and after assessing my body for any new aches or sores, I get out of bed. I open my shades, and the morning sunlight pours into my room. I then walk over to the bathroom to brush my teeth, where I see some of my friends and chat. Back in my room, I get dressed and do my makeup for the day.

9:50 a.m. – I meet some of my teammates at Sharples for breakfast, making sure I start this game day off right with a balanced breakfast. I fill my plate with two fried eggs, a slice of cantaloupe, and add a small bowl of Greek yogurt, granola, and honey on the side. 

10:15 a.m. – I’m off to my first and only class of the day: Biology 001. I find my friends in the lecture hall, many of whom are also athletes, where we talk about our upcoming games before class. When the lecture starts, I take my notebook and pens out and begin taking notes.

11:30 a.m. – After class ends, I head back to Sharples for lunch, where I am ecstatic to see they are serving Korean bowls. I get a bowl and some blue Powerade, my personal favorite drink. I’m always very grateful for the delicious food and wide selection at our dining hall, but I am especially grateful on game days when I know I need a nutritious meal. 

12:30 p.m. – Whenever I have free time, I almost always find myself in Kemp Family Commons (the Commons), where I do work or just hang out. Today, I have some work I need to get done now since I know I won’t have time with a game later tonight. Some of my friends and teammates are there to study with me. 

4:30 p.m. – I walk back into Sharples for team dinner! With just fourteen girls, our team is pretty small this year, so we fit at one of the long tables. One benefit of having a small team is that I am able to get to know everyone, so our team feels very unified. 

5:15 p.m. – We’re in the locker room to change and put our court shoes on. Around this time, we all crowd around the four little mirrors in the locker room together, lathering our hair with gel and slicking every flyaway down with our slick-back brushes. We’re feeling just about ready.

5:30 p.m. – Now we’re hype. I walk into the fieldhouse classroom to music blasting on our giant speaker we’ve named “Barbie.” We dance and sing until blood is rushing through our veins. This pre-game ritual is my second favorite part of the day, ranked right under the game itself. Our three coaches walk in, the music stops and we review our game plan. Who are their best blockers? What areas are open on the court? What type of defense do they run?

6:00 p.m. – We walk out of the classroom and into the gym, always with “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” from Mulan blasting on our speaker. Then it’s time to stretch and to do band work. Warm-ups begin, and we are focused on getting our bodies ready and footwork down.

6:30 p.m. – In the middle of warm-ups, we have another pre-game ritual to raise the energy level. From the crowd, you’ll hear us beating on the bleachers and clapping a repeating beat: boom boom boom, boom boom. What we do specifically, however, is meant to stay within the team.

7:00 p.m. – The game begins. The thrill a game brings is truly unmatched. We cheer on and off the court, lift each other up, and motivate each other to push point by point. Many of our friends and other sports teams come to watch, and it is so nice to see the crowd’s support.

9:00 p.m. – After the game, we take down the net and hit the showers, blasting music in our locker room as always. We head back to the Commons to grab some food from Crumb Cafe, which has the best loaded quesadillas and milkshakes. 

10:30 p.m. – I head back to my dorm to wind down after a long day. I call my family to tell them about the game, which they usually watch on the livestream. I drift to sleep, ready for another day filled with classes, homework, and hanging out!