What to expect at a Badminton University?
Ideas and suggestions to help you enjoy the experience
2 parts “What to Expect” and “How to survive the 1st year”
Your time at University will probably be one of the most influential times of your life
The University expects
it’s a balance, so many opportunities and experiences, you will probably make some mistakes
The University does expect you to attend lectures and achieve grades.
Often these grade points are spread throughout your course so be prepared to have periods of intense study mixed with your badminton.
For some people, the change of lifestyle and training can be challenging. All the new aspects can combine together.
You will need to use the organisational skills you developed prior to going to University, during your previous exam and study periods. This is a skill to be improved or learned.
If you organise yourself in terms of study, sport, social, and rest, then hopefully you will avoid stressing yourself.
Listen to Martyn Lewis, Nottingham University’s Badminton Performance Director
Hear what he has to say about University life for a Badminton player
Sport, Study, Social
There is an art to balancing these three
All 3 are important while you are at University but in order to enjoy the experience, you will have to compromise at times. Be happy with compromise, get used to it.
Martyn Lewis (Director of Badminton at The University of Nottingham) spoke about them the interview with The Badminton Podcast.
His advice was that you will only ever be able to do 2 out of the 3 fully.
If you want Social to be No.1 then it’s probably worth reviewing why you went to university and certainly why you chose a Badminton University.
If you haven’t listened to the interview with Martyn, click here
It’s different
Have you thought about how different life will be ?
- You will probably walk everywhere or take the bus
- Have training opportunities early morning around 7 - 8.00am
- Everyone in your training group will be new to you .. you need friends soon
- You will do ALL your washing and ALL your own cooking
- Have plenty of time off in the day in between lectures to sleep or study or think
- There will not be anyone to manage your time : study / sport / social
- YOU will have to cope with and fill the empty spaces in the day … be aware its not easy
- YOU WILL BE YOUR OWN BOSS !!
Smiles, tiredness, illness
You are likely to be ill
You must aim to enjoy the experience and all it brings. Keeping a positive mindset will certainly help.
However, you will start to feel tired and probably be ill within the first 4 weeks. It’s very common!
You will not be able to do everything! Even though you WILL try to ?
This may sound obvious, but many people stress themselves physically and mentally during the first 6 weeks.
‘Freshers Flu’ is very common and will spread quickly amongst your group
Expect to feel tired
Even if you think your training is not that much different to that at home, you will feel tired.
The mental stress you’ve been undergoing will fatigue you, often without you knowing. If you haven’t been training every day before University, then the change will stress your body.
Stay relaxed during the first term and accept the differences.
Listen to the coaches, the older players and talk with your new teammates. Sharing how you feel will help. Smiling will help even more.
Small things like training at different times or playing on a different floor,
these will have an impact on you, be preapred to expect and accept this
People, lots of people – Don’t make enemies
You may be very surprised at how many new people you meet in your first 2 weeks
Everyone seems to want to find out who you are, where you come from, where you are living on campus and what you like to do.
Oh yes, and they’ll probably ask you to join them for a coffee or join their society ?
Remember the 3’S (number 2) and you will be ok.
I’d recommend that you actively talk with the others in your Badminton group.
Don’t just turn up to training and then leave. Go to the Badminton Social events and find 4 or 5 people who you click with.
You probably won’t get on with everyone in the Team but here is a chance to find ways to be a great Teammate.
Being in a large group every day and training with them may be a new experience for you.
Be quick to apologise, accept that people are all under different stresses and be as helpful as you can.
You will need friends to make your time at University as enjoyable and productive as it can be. Friends not only to train with, but to live with, to study with and to socialise with.
Some of these friends will stay with you for years,
so make many and keep an open mind when you first meet someone.
Improvements
If you are at a Badminton University then your aim must be to improve
Expect to improve and it will happen
However, it may take time, several months. Not everyone can adapt to a new training environment as fast as they want. But don’t worry.
Enjoy the new experiences, the new coaching, the new teammates, the different opponents. Once you start to feel comfortable, improvements will happen, IF you turn up to training and sleep.
Oh, and don’t party too hard!
Get into a good routine, find some great companions,
work with the coach, then wait for the improvements 🙂
Send me a question
I’m always grateful if you have read this far.
If there is anything that you have read that has helped or that you disagree with, then please send me an email.
I promise to read all your comments
It would be great to hear from you contact@badmintonandy.com
