Every year at NC State, anywhere between 4,000 and 5,000 freshmen step foot on their first college campus. That includes a select number who represent the university as student-athletes. For many of these athletes, they have performed at the highest level during their high school years. As a result of this, they are used to the spotlight.
But college is a whole different arena. This is especially true for NC State, where almost 35,000 students are enrolled each year. Therefore, it takes a bit of an adjustment in order to get accustomed to the experience. This year is no different for freshmen Wolfpack student-athletes. Everybody has their own story and experience to share, but we get the honor to hear from some of them here.
Athletes face the challenge of learning how to balance school life with their respective sports. In some cases, students never figure it out, but more often than not, they adjust.
Athletes were asked three questions about how they’ve handled the transition, which will be listed below.
Q: What has been the toughest part transitioning from your high school sport to an ACC school’s level of competition?
A: “The toughest thing is accepting the fact that you are behind in a lot of aspects. Wrestling with guys that have been in the system for years can be humbling at times, but taking lumps is necessary to get to where you want to be.” — Hayden Hidlay, freshman, wrestling
A: “Each of your teammates was their high school’s best player, so everybody is really good. It’s a tough transition, but I’m getting through it.” — Markell Johnson, freshman, men’s basketball
A: “It’s a good feeling first of all to be here with my teammates, we’ve been working so hard. The level you work at it is elevated because you’re striving for that professional next level.” — Ted Kapita, freshman, men’s basketball
A: “The toughest part of transitioning is the intensity of the workouts. On my club team, workouts were very hard, but hard over a large amount of yardage. Whereas here, the workouts here are a lot less yardage but very focused on all-out effort.” — Coleman Stewart, freshman, men’s swimming
Q: What is the biggest difference academically from high school to college? How are you handling it?
A: “Class size is a big difference for high school students transitioning to college. The amount of personal interaction with the teachers drastically decreases, so you have to do your best to take the best notes and also use resources like tutors and the Case Academic Center.” — Hidlay
A: “Right now, college is better than high school. The classes are much different, you get the tutoring and help that you need. I have all the resources I need to be successful here.” — Johnson
A: “The biggest academic difference is the fact that I can’t procrastinate anymore. In high school, I would always wait until the last minute to write a paper or do homework. Here, doing that is a bad idea and it’s better to just do the assignment right when you receive it.” — Stewart
Q: How has NC State become home for you since you’ve been here?
A: “The thing I’ve noticed about being on the wrestling team is that there is a strong bond of brotherhood. Having guys that live the same type of life you do and share everyday struggles with creates a family feel within the wrestling room.” — Hidlay
A: “My teammates get me through it, even though I’m kind of homesick, I hang out with them every day so they’ve helped me.” — Johnson
A: “The atmosphere with my teammates is excellent, we all get along very easily and do everything together. This has become home for me; I feel very comfortable now.” — Kapita
A: “NC State has become home for me through the help of my teammates. The upperclassmen on the team were extremely welcoming of all the incoming freshmen. It sounds weird to call this place my home, but that’s exactly what it is.” — Stewart
