Junior Jordan Paolucci, from Lake Mary, Florida discusses her life at Quinnipiac as a softball player.

What are the best parts about playing college softball?
The camaraderie. I spend mostly every day with the same people, and we make memories that I’ll never forget. From huge wins to pulling pranks around the locker room, we’re constantly laughing. It’s a family-like atmosphere, and I don’t think I could do this without it.

Is it a challenge balancing school, practice and having a social life?

Balancing school, practice, and a social life might be the hardest part about playing ball in college. It’s pretty easy to spread yourself too thin, and sometimes you have to make the dreaded decision between going to hang out with friends or going to the library to study.

Do you have any tips for time management?

As a student athlete, you’re rarely going to sit down and knock out an entire assignment, because you just don’t have enough spare time. The most useful tip I would suggest would be to write out your day by the hour. I type out exactly what I’ll be doing and where I’ll be doing it each day in my phone, so it’s always with me. That way I can find little cracks of free time and chip away at assignments.

What made you choose Quinnipiac?

In short, for the campus and the education. I knew I was going to play softball in college. It was just a matter of where. Virtually none of my friends back home in Florida are getting a Northeastern private school education, so getting that opportunity played a huge role in my choosing QU. There is nothing quite like QU down South.

How does the recruitment process work?

Florida is kind of a power state for softball. It’s huge down there, so we play year round. I got a lot of exposure to colleges because of that. Basically, you play in huge showcase tournaments that are located anywhere from California to Colorado to Las Vegas. College coaches come and watch, and then it’s just communicating with them from there. There are a bunch of NCAA rules regarding when and how coaches can talk to high school athletes. Once you establish mutual interest, the athlete takes an official visit and the coach offers them a scholarship.

What has being involved athletically taught you that you don’t think typical students have learned?

Ultimately, athletics teaches us confidence and humility that other students don’t always get to learn. In sports, especially college sports, you have to believe in yourself or you won’t succeed. I think our sports teaches us that it’s okay to believe in ourselves and have confidence without stomping around.