Connection between sports and college



  Hello everyone! Today I will talk about the difference between playing sports and attending school at the same time in the United States and in Italy.




In Italy it is hard to play sports at a competitive level and being enrolled in college at the same time. The main reason is the fact that school is extremely demanding, which is why people either quit sports, move to lower levels (where practice is twice a week), or quit studying and start working. The school system, which is completely different from the Unites States’, is not connected with sports the same way they are connected in America. Indeed, in the Unites States the school system allows athletes to play sports at a competitive level without having to give up on school. This is possible because the school system recognizes the commitment and obligations of athletes, and it finds a way to be flexible (if necessary) to allow them to succeed at both. 

This difference is exactly the reason for which I (and many other international students) came to the United States to attend college. I was trying to play soccer and get a degree at the same time, but it was extremely difficult. So, after being presented with the opportunity to do both, it didn’t take me long to make a decision. 

In America we study and have weekly quizzes and assignments, and we also have multiple exams in addition to a final exam. Therefore, this is helpful because you need to study consistently to build up a good grade, so in general, school here is much more “practical,” with a lot of work to do compared to Italy. As an athlete, my biggest challenge is managing everything that needs to be done. 

In Italy college goes on all year round, so it is fair to say that we don’t really have long breaks such as winter, spring, and summer break. The system is different because you generally go to class during the whole semester, where you have lectures, then you have to study multiple classes at the same time (without due assignments, group projects, or exams). The way you get your grade and pass the class is by signing up for the “exam sessions” that occur on specific dates (January-February, June-July, and September-October). 

Now you might think that the American system is more difficult if you want to also play sports because you are busy every day. However, what makes the European system hard for students to play and get a degree is the amount of studying they need to do over that period of time (in multiple classes) in order to pass the exams (which are generally oral or written, or a combination of both, and everything is in person – no technology allowed). Therefore, you will study multiple books for months and sign up for an exam where the professor has 100% control and can even only ask you 1 single question, and if you do not know the answer, you fail. This means that you need to spend more time studying and sign up for the next exam timeline. Now imagine combining studying many different subjects on your own while competing 6/7 days for hours. Since sports do not last a couple or a few months in the U.S., but you practice and play from July until May of the next year, the amount of stress, pressure, and sacrifice is massive. 

I hope you all enjoyed this post! 

Thank you for your time. 

See you next time with something more fun! 

Comments

  1. AnonymousFebruary 18, 2025 at 4:10 PM

    Kevin, it's super interesting to hear about the difference in education that extends across different countries. This post made me grateful that I go to American University- ha!

    ReplyDelete

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