If you played volleyball before you got into college, you're probably familiar with the drill. You've already spent years playing on both high school and club teams, struggling to balance the social life of a wide-eyed high schooler with the immense discipline needed to maintain a peak physical condition.

Now imagine that, but on pro-wrestler levels of steroids. The day-to-day life of an NCAA athlete demands monk-like discipline and nerd-tastic study skills. You'll be expected to maintain your grades as you travel frequently to matches and tournaments with the team. All the while, you'll still be attending daily practices and workouts…and trying to sleep. Welcome to the gauntlet.

Your fellow students might not be worshipping you as a sports-star, but that also means they're also a lot less likely to direct their ire your way if you lose the big game. As long as you love the sport, your passion will outweigh the stress, nine times out of ten. We're just warning you, it'll be a crazy ride.