STEM majors and running

I did, and so did some of my friends, and so do thousands of others across the country each year. If they can do it, you can do it. You just need to be good with time management and dedicated to running and school and understand that a lot of the time you won't have time for anything else. That does not mean you won't have fun though. School is fun, and you will learn a lot of really cool, interesting, and useful things with an education in STEM. Running is also fun and a social activity, so going to practice every day is like getting to hang out with friends every day for 1-2 (or more) hours. I would strongly encourage anyone thinking of majoring in STEM and running to do both.

-Jack M., All-Region XC runner and triple STEM major working professionally in STEM

Got a math degree.

Had no problem doing that and putting everything I could into running.

I don't think it's the course load that's difficult. The only difficulty is finding time to wank when your roommate is gone and you don't have homework you could be doing. Also, making sure that when you do find time to do the deed, that your loud completion doesn't alert the entire dorm floor to your activities.

I'm a Biochemistry

/ Biophysics major (so the S in STEM) and running balances out just fine. I have a decent GPA and have done well in the "hard" classes. In fact I spend less time studying than many others in my major. Time has never been an issue in this regard. If you use your time well you should have plenty of time for other activities.

Running-wise I haven't improved much at all since high school, but am still able to compete at a decent level and have enough time for training. Again, time has never been an issue

Also I encourage you to try to get in a lab at some point early in college, as the knowledge and skills you gain in such are hard to acquire in your classes.

if we're doing this "signing" thing...

/mu/tant runner

i ran D1 and studied mechanical engineering - had to get above a 3.5 GPA to keep my academic scholarships so i really had to hit the books HARD. life was track/study/job and nearly nothing else.

worst 4 years of my life - had many a crying meltdown. would not do again/10.

Jack M. wrote:

I did, and so did some of my friends, and so do thousands of others across the country each year. If they can do it, you can do it. You just need to be good with time management and dedicated to running and school and understand that a lot of the time you won't have time for anything else. That does not mean you won't have fun though. School is fun, and you will learn a lot of really cool, interesting, and useful things with an education in STEM. Running is also fun and a social activity, so going to practice every day is like getting to hang out with friends every day for 1-2 (or more) hours. I would strongly encourage anyone thinking of majoring in STEM and running to do both.

-Jack M., All-Region XC runner and triple STEM major working professionally in STEM

Thought I would also add, running can actually make learning the material and dealing with college life easier. You will learn and develop better habits, be more stable-minded, avoid pitfalls many people fall into (alcohol and partying too much, skipping class, etc), AND, one of the most effective study-habits I discovered was to go for a run after a long session of studying and go over all the material in my mind while running. Studies show that if you learn things while exercising, you learn them better and remember them better. The first time I did this I scored 30% higher than the class average on my test the day after the run. Would recommend.

A friend of mine did her undergrad in physics while running D1 track. She was the only physics major on the team and had some issues scheduling labs, but in the end managed things alright.

I also know a half-dozen bio/premed D1 and D3 runners. Most of them feel that running helps with discipline and time management.

Lots of kids go to college and participate in sports and take challenging majors. Heck Kempainen (sp?) was in med school and competed at the World champs in the marathon--he did get permission to take a lighter than normal class load but not when it comes to rounds and other things in the hospital.

Andrew Luck was an architecture major at Stanford and played football.

A kid from FSU played football and was a Rhodes Scholar and now is med school (Rolle?).

You need to have your crap together, be organized, have time management.

I know of a college fencer at Notre Dame who did well enough to make the Olympic team and now is in med school.

american flag shorts wrote:

A friend of mine did her undergrad in physics while running D1 track. She was the only physics major on the team and had some issues scheduling labs, but in the end managed things alright.

wait, these exist!!!!!.....tell your friend that I think I'm in love with the idea of her.

Bra-ket wrote:

american flag shorts wrote:

A friend of mine did her undergrad in physics while running D1 track. She was the only physics major on the team and had some issues scheduling labs, but in the end managed things alright.

wait, these exist!!!!!.....tell your friend that I think I'm in love with the idea of her.

As a physical chemist who uses lots of quantum mechanics, I love your handle.

I did not take up running seriously until I was out of college but I agree with most of the previous posters. I earned tenure as a chemistry professor at a research university at the same time I was training to qualify for the Olympic Trials in the marathon. The discipline and grit required for one reinforces the other.

Had a friend who played D1 football and engineering at a school that was very good at both