Amelia Lefevre - Fredonia State Women’s Lacrosse
The jump from high school to college athletics is something you can’t fully prepare for until you’re living it. New schedule, faster pace, higher expectations, and a completely different level of independence, it all hits at once.
For Amelia Lefevre, a member of a college women’s lacrosse program, the adjustment wasn’t just about learning a new system on the field. It was about learning how to manage life as a student-athlete from day one.
“The biggest change was the time,” Lefevre said. “You’re not just going to class and practice anymore, everything is planned down to the hour.”
Like many freshmen athletes, Lefevre quickly realized that college doesn’t slow down for anyone. Early lifts, long practices, film sessions, and classes stacked throughout the day make time management one of the biggest challenges.
“You really have to learn discipline fast,” she explained. “If you don’t stay on top of schoolwork right away, it piles up quickly.”
On the field, the speed of the game was another adjustment. College lacrosse demands quicker decisions, higher intensity, and a stronger understanding of team systems. Off the field, it’s about finding your place in a new environment while still performing at a high level.
But Lefevre says the transition also comes with support.
“You’re surrounded by people going through the exact same thing,” she said. “Your teammates become your family really fast because everyone is figuring it out together.”
Now settled into college life, Lefevre reflects on how much she has grown since arriving on campus — not just as a player, but as a person learning how to balance responsibility, pressure, and independence.
“At first it feels overwhelming,” she said. “But eventually you find your rhythm. You just have to trust yourself and keep showing up every day.”