Community Spotlight #1
Jyoti Ruparell (@jruparell): Student Athlete
Learning to balance a wellness lifestyle while performing at the highest level.
Being a varsity athlete can be an incredibly rewarding experience. Competing at a high level and developing essential life skills are some of the benefits. However, the reality is that being a student-athlete is challenging. Juggling academic demands, athletic commitments, and maintaining relationships can be exhausting.
Unfortunately, mental health and well-being are still stigmatized in sports, leaving athletes feeling unsupported when they need help. Playing varsity requires a full-time commitment, including daily practices, workouts, meetings, film sessions, and physiotherapy. Balancing this with a full courseload leaves little time for rest or socializing.
As someone who has experienced these challenges firsthand, it's essential to prioritize mental health and self-care. By sharing my experiences and tips for wellness, I hope to help others navigate the demands of student-athlete life while maintaining a healthy, balanced lifestyle.
Over the years, I was on a journey that affected my mental health. Having to deal with anxiety and depression while still performing for my team and showing up in different areas of my life was draining. I realized I wasn’t nurturing my needs and doing things that fulfilled my soul.
During this time, I struggled, often feeling like an outcast and comparing myself to my teammates. Negative thoughts about my body and workouts became all-consuming, and my anxiety made it so I couldn’t even enter the gym without being anxious. There were days when my depression left me unable to give 100% to my commitments, but I had no choice but to show up physically and go through the motions of the day.
So, after all that, how did I make time to prioritize my wellness and well-being? I've learned to use my voice and ask for space. I realized that my identity is more than being an athlete, and I've actively built a life outside of playing through student groups, volunteering, and career-driven activities.
I chose to go to therapy. I started counselling in my first year at university, stopped during the pandemic and recently found myself returning. Therapy is a great way to learn how to deal with my past traumas and get tools to improve my quality of life. Having someone to talk to without fear of judgment is also nice.
Here are some of my tips for anyone who’s burnt out, overwhelmed, or just looking for
a lifestyle change:
1. Consider Therapy! If you have the privilege to access therapy, take advantage
of it. The “My SSP” app is free for students, offers mental health and wellness
services, and can connect you to counsellors and therapists.
2. Move your body in a way that makes you happy. I’ve found that dance,
12-3-30, pilates, yoga, lifting weights, and spin classes make me more
comfortable.
3. Create daily routines. Some benefits include
Increasing productivity throughout the day
Better sleep (see the next tip!)
Reduced stress. You are creating consistency and are in control of your
time.
d. Increased mindfulness. Focus on how you feel when you wake up and
sleep and what the future looks like.
4. Prioritize your sleep! It’s a simple and effective way to increase productivity
and efficiency, leaving you with more time to do the things that fulfill you.
5. Drink water! Always have a reusable bottle on hand or even keep multiple ones
in the spaces you frequent, like the office, car, home, etc.
6. Practice gratitude. You can do this by journaling, telling someone you
appreciate them, finding stillness in everyday chaos and taking a moment to
appreciate what you have while recognizing where you want to be.
