The Student News Site of Utica University

The Tangerine

The Student News Site of Utica University

The Tangerine

The Student News Site of Utica University

The Tangerine

How do they do it?

Christian Rodriguez, Assistant Sports Editor

The life of a college student can be overwhelming with many students being away from home for the first time. Being a student-athlete while going to school can add an extra layer of pressure.

Utica College senior Ivan Iton is a biology major, which he says is hard enough to manage. What makes his life challenging is being the team captain of the men’s basketball team.

“Being a collegiate athlete is a big responsibility,” Iton said. “Your time throughout the day is very limited, so you have to learn excellent time management skills and how to seize any opportunity that is presented to you.”

Aside from school and basketball, Iton is also a residence assistant in Burrstone House and has a work-study job within the athletics department.

“I do it all,” Iton said. “Somehow I find time to get extra practice time in, time to socialize and still get enough sleep at night,”

Iton states he writes down his goals and reminds himself of what he needs to accomplish. This makes sure he doesn’t steer away from his plans.

“Being a student-athlete is a big responsibility,” Iton said. “You have to make the commitment to yourself and the whole UC community to be the best possible version of yourself for the community.”

Iton understands that although he is having fun, he is here for an education. He believes that there is a time and place for certain things.

“There is always time for fun if you learn how to do what is important first,” Iton stated

Senior football player Isaiah Washington says he stays organized by using “Utica Advantage,” a program that the football team’s academic coordinator has requested they use.

“The Utica Advantage has multiple sections for us to organize our academic, personal duties and assignments,” Washington said. “We have a section where we can record our professor’s office hours along with contact information.”

Washington says that this program is extremely important to him because it helps him remain organized and keep a lid on things when it gets hectic later in the semester.

“If you combine your Utica Advantage with your smart phone, that’s a dangerous duo, Washington said. “That, with a little effort, will produce results in order to be successful.”

First year graduate student Ashley Mayo has one more year of athletic eligibility. She has decided to play one more season for the Utica women’s basketball team.

“I personally try to stick to a schedule to ensure that I have the appropriate time for my school work and basketball,” Mayo said.

Mayo says she tries to workout in the morning therefore she has the rest of the day to get school work done and have time for her on-campus job. If she can’t do it before classes she makes sure to do so in between classes.

During the basketball season, things can get a little more hectic for Mayo.

“When in season, it can sometimes be more difficult to balance school work,” Mayo said. “Having a set schedule allows me to plan my time according to that, however, I can’t really procrastinate because practices would really put me further behind in work.”

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