The Current | Vol. 31 Issue 18

January 19, 2021 | nsucurrent.nova.edu 9 Sports It all starts with discipline If you would have asked me last year to go running with you, I would have politely declined. Yet, in October, I decided to give it a shot -- and ended up really enjoying it. I began with one mile with loved ones. Then, in November, I ran alone for the first time. It wasn’t a habit I kept up for a while -- I preferred running with others -- but then, I began running alone and loving it. On Jan. 5, I ran 5.15 miles -- my longest distance, and I did it alone. One thing I’ve learned with running is that it all starts with discipline. It’s that inner voice telling you, “You must run today,” and doing so, even if you really don’t want to. When it comes to exercise and getting fit, for most of us, it is seen more like a chore than a source of entertainment. Even with the pandemic encouraging us to take better care of our physical and mental health, running or getting a workout in may still be trumped by our desire to binge on Netflix, watch the never-ending, stress-inducing news or scroll social media for hours. In order to build self-discipline, it is necessary for you to put yourself in the correct mindset and remind yourself that what you are doing is for your own benefit in the long run. Here are some ways that you can begin your self- discipline journey. Make your bed Making your bed as soon as you get out of it is one of the easiest ways to begin building self-discipline. It allows you to complete a task as soon as you wake up, thus activating a domino effect for you to get other tasks done throughout the day. According to an article by Forbes on five daily exercises that build self-discipline, “Making your bed first thing in the morning puts you into a disciplined and productive state immediately when you start your day. It’s also a powerful motivation to stay awake instead of crawling into the warm sheets.” Stop complaining We often find ourselves complaining about the things we don’t want to do, but did you know all complaining does is make you focus on everything that is wrong? There’s a lot to be grateful for. When you complain about not being in shape or having the desire to exercise, you’re not taking into account those individuals who may have the desire to get fit but may lack the physical capabilities. Instead of complaining, try taking a deep breath, changing your attitude towards it and getting started on the task you are complaining about. Meditate Meditation may seem like a sedentary way to build discipline, but it requires you to discipline your thoughts, which is something a lot of us struggle with. Living through a pandemic and all the changes that have come with it have put a lot of mental clutter into our heads. By meditating, we can clear some of that clutter, get back to ourselves and achieve our goals. In the same article beforementioned, Forbes says, “Sitting and thinking about nothing but your breath requires tremendous discipline and focus… If you are willing to give this a go for 30 days, you WILL increase your discipline and willpower in surprising ways.” Eliminate distractions Living in the 21st century, there are distractions everywhere: social media, the news, even just notifications. Unfortunately, distractions lessen our discipline, causing us to fall victim to mindless scrolling instead of actually getting things done. If you want to get an exercise in or go on a run, try turning off your notifications or putting timers on your social media apps so you are not distracted from achieving your goals. Discipline is required for success, whether that’s running every day, going to the gym or even following and achieving your dreams. You can do it. You just need to put in the work and strive forward. By: Flor Ana Mireles Copy Editor NSU Sports: The road back from COVID-19 By: Christina McLaughlin & Siena Berardi The Current Staff On Dec. 10, the Sunshine State Conference Presidents Council decided to cancel conference competitions and championships for soccer and volleyball in the fall and swimming in the winter of the 2020-2021 academic year. The council declared that cross country, originally held in the fall, could conduct a conference championship season during the spring 2021 semester as it is considered a low COVID-19 transmission risk sport by the NCAA. The council also decided to further postpone the start of the basketball season until at least Feb. 15. This confirms that the 11 colleges in the Sunshine State Conference, including NSU, will not be able to participate in the 2021 NCAA Division II Men’s andWomen’s Basketball Championships. For NSU athletes coming into the Winter 2021 semester, these decisions meant important decisions needed to be made to protect athletes from the potential risk of COVID-19. It was also essential to find ways that allowed student-athletes to continue practicing and conditioning themselves for a future season if they are found unable to compete in this 2020-2021 season. As of now, here is the breakdown as to how each of the 16 NSU sports teams will proceed this semester with each team’s specific NCAA classified COVID-19 transmission risk alongside a general timeline and update from the NSUAthletics department. NSU SPORTS Legend Info NCAA classification of sport according to contact risk of COVID-19 between athletes *The level of risk in cross country and track and field are dependent upon the student-athlete’s proximity to other unmasked individuals. **Sports listed as “as planned” will compete in their regular season, but with a limited schedule compared to previous seasons. The schedule specifics have not been announced at this time. HIGH-RISK SPORT INTERMEDIATE-RISK SPORT LOW-RISK SPORT MEN’S NSU SPORTS Baseball- As planned** Basketball- TBD CrossCountry*- ScheduleTBA Golf- As planned** Soccer-Will not compete Swimming- ScheduleTBA Track andField*- As planned** WOMEN’S NSU SPORTS Basketball-TBD Cross-Country*-ScheduleTBA Golf-As planned** Soccer-Will not compete Softball-As planned** Swimming-ScheduleTBA Tennis- As planned** Track andField*- As planned Volleyball-Will not compete** PRINTED WITH PERMISSION BY F. MIRELES Running the Key Biscayne Bridge