If you’re going to date a college athlete, you have to understand a few things first:

1. You don’t have to look, be, or act a certain way. But if you want to really understand us and meet us where we are, knowing why we’re so passionate about exercise is important.

2. You need to have a basic understanding of our sport.

3. We don’t really know how to dress for dates sometimes. Do we rock the t-shirt and jeans (that’s basically dressing up since all we wear is sweats), or do we go all out since we always look like we’re headed to the gym?!! Unanswered questions.

4. We prefer NEED a set schedule. We run on practice/game/sleep schedules pretty much 99% of the time, and this helps us keep our lives in order. So when you ask us out, for the love of God, give us a time and date.

5. We’re goal-oriented people. And if you want to date us, you should have some future plans (to an extent).

6. We can’t be with someone who doesn’t understand why we’re always active or going to practice. #SorryNotSorry It’s the lifestyle.

7. If you don’t have a somewhat busy schedule (or understand our busy schedules) then it’s just not going to work.

8. Dating, from our perspectives, is similar to our sport. There’s a strategy, there are goals, and above all, we play with our heart.

9. We can’t date someone who hits the snooze button 15 times before getting up for work because as soon as that alarm hits, we’re up and at ’em.

10. Please don’t try to take us out for drinks when we have practice the next morning.

11. As much as you beg, we’re not going out drinking with you the night before a game. (And no, we won’t be your resident DD either).

12. We value our quiet, relaxed, lay-in-bed-and-cuddle-after-a-long-day time and we need someone who’s not always trying to party. But we’ll totally party with you too, when it’s not breaking the 48-hour rule.

13. As a significant other, you’re expected to be at (most of) our games, or at least ask us how they went.

14. We are extremely sensitive at times, especially post-loss. So don’t take it personally or get on our case about it.

15. And the golden rule, never, under any circumstances say, “it’s just a game.”
 

Featured Image Credit: Rachel Barkdoll

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