10 Signs You Were A College Athlete

If you were ever a student-athlete, you know it changed your life forever. No matter how many years it’s been there are still some things you hold onto from your glory days. This is for all my fellow female athletes – if you can relate to any of these, you know you played a sport in college.

1. You own way too many T-shirts
   You likely have at least one drawer of your dresser solely dedicated to t-shirts. Between your team gear and tournament shirts – you’ve probably collected enough to clothe a small country. But you can’t bring yourself to get rid of them, even if they have a hole in the armpit and the words are fading, you just aren’t ready to give them up.
   

2. You wear pre-wrap as a headband
   And you probably have this in every color imaginable (and are able to match it to all of the t-shirts you own). It’s honestly the best. People are always asking “isn’t that stuff you wrap your ankles with?” SO WHAT IF IT IS? Can I live?

3. You still dress like an athlete
   People are always asking me “Oh did you just come from the gym?” when they see my outfit. Leggings, sneakers, tank top or a hoodie …nope I just came from home… “Oh are you going to work out after?” Nope, this is just what I wear…every day…

4. You play in any recreational league you can get into
   Sometimes you get your butt kicked in the old-ladies basketball league but it doesn’t matter because you’re out there doing something that you love. You might even step outside of your comfort zone and try a different sport – you just crave competition and will do whatever you can do to prevent yourself from becoming a NARP.
   

5. You’re committed to a brand
   Whether it’s Nike, Under Armour, Jordan or another brand; you’re in a committed relationship with that clothing company and you’re decked out head to toe. Usually it’s the brand your school is sponsored by – and I’m sorry if it’s Adidas, I’m really really sorry. One time I wore adidas socks to practice and my point guard made sure to call me out for it – I threw them out.

6. You still love talking about your past games
   Whether it was a certain season or a game –  no matter how many years it’s been since it happened – you can’t help but talk about it. You’ll remember specific shots, bad calls, fights, and plays; you’ll tell those stories over and over again. You don’t want people to forget that you were once a star and weren’t always out of shape. “Carly, are you out of breath from walking up the stairs? You played basketball.” “I know Karen, I know.”
   

7. Reunions mean reminiscing
   Getting back together with old teammates means remembering the good times that happened outside of practice and games. The times you hit the bars as a team, showed up to a volunteer event hungover (cough…Alyssa…cough), or showed a recruit how unexciting college can be by playing board games with her. When you get together, you’ll probably find yourself causing a scene at a nice restaurant because you’re cackling so hard that everyone has directed their attention toward your table. It’s alright – embrace it.

8. You wear Nike Pros all the time
   It’s not at all weird at all to you that you wear Nike Pro spandex under dresses or skirts. In fact, it’s weird that other people don’t. You know that you can walk up to any old teammate at a party and flash your spandex from under your dress and they can do the same. If you’re not already doing this, take my word – do it.

9. You’ll never forget your warm-up playlist
   There’s always those songs that bring you back to your pre-game warm-up when you’re running out onto the court or field. You’re not ashamed to admit that you love X Gonna Give It To Ya because it puts you right back into that locker room during the hype session. And let’s be honest – we all loved Remember The Name at some points in our lives. 10% luck, 20% skill…

10. You’d give anything to go back
    Playing a sport was the best thing you did in college. I know for me it was actually the only good thing about college. You’d give anything to feel a part of a team again. You’d even suffer through 6am practices, two-a-days, strength and conditioning programs, and being screamed at by your coach – it would all be worth it.