AI Answer
Balancing academics and extracurricular activities like softball can be challenging, but it's great that you're staying organized with a calendar and starting tasks early. Understanding the importance of finding a balance and staying on schedule is crucial, especially in college where athletics play a significant role. It's also a good idea to prioritize your well-being by fueling yourself properly, as you mentioned. Taking advantage of academic resources and support systems offered by your university can also help you maintain balance. Remember to consider both the athletic and academic aspects when choosing a college. It's important to stay focused on your goals and embrace a process-focused mentality to achieve success both on and off the field. Keep up the proactive approach, and continue giving your best each day.

Lauren Derkowski | Michigan Softball

So the more that you're able to learn from it and grow from it , the better that you can be when training and when trying to reach those goals that you have for yourself . I balance my academics with my softball schedule by keeping a really good calendar and making sure that I'm on top of things and getting things started really early for me . I go to office hours all the time and meet with my teachers to make sure that I'm doing well in the class and getting any help that I need .

Lauren Derkowski | Michigan Softball

So making sure that I'm fueling myself well enough to perform at the best of my ability . Some of the challenges that I've had to face was finding a balance between softball and regular life outside of it . Um , and understanding that you're able to have that balance , they'll be at your best finding that was really , really important for me , especially when I came to college where athletics is so much a big part of your life .

Lauren Derkowski | Michigan Softball

Some of the challenges that I've had to face was finding a balance between softball and regular life outside of it . Um , and understanding that you're able to have that balance , they'll be at your best finding that was really , really important for me , especially when I came to college where athletics is so much a big part of your life . So coming here and being able to separate softball in school and social life has been something really key to me that I feel has helped me just be successful and be where I am today .

Lauren Derkowski | Michigan Softball

I know at the University of Michigan , we also have really good academic resources that can help you find a balance that can help with tutors and just keep you on the right track . And I think that's something that's really , really helped me out is staying ahead , staying on schedule and making sure I know what's going on and what my weekly plan is if I can give my yourself a little bit of advice . It would be to not put so much pressure on yourself and just take it day by day , learn from the past , learn from your mistakes and grow from it , especially in softball where things don't always go your way .

Lauren Derkowski | Michigan Softball

It would be to not put so much pressure on yourself and just take it day by day , learn from the past , learn from your mistakes and grow from it , especially in softball where things don't always go your way . And once you understand that you're really able to have a different perspective on the sport and your position , just putting your best foot forward and giving 100% of what you have that day is a piece of advice that I would definitely give myself .