(Editor's note: Duke senior Georgia Schweitzer, the 1999-2000 ACC Player of the Year, will share a weekly diary with ESPN.com throughout the season.)

Nov. 30, 2000

	Schweitzer

It's that time of year again and I am not talking about holiday cheer. I am talking about finals, papers and basketball road trips.

As a student-athlete playing basketball, this is the toughest part of the year. I have an eight-page Ecology paper, a 12-page Toxicology paper, a 12-page Ancient Myth paper, a six-page English paper and three finals coming up. To top it off, we are on the road the next two weekends. Give me a second, writing all that out stresses me out a tad!

I have often, upon reflection, wondered how I ever finished all the work until I realize I always manage to somehow get it done. I cannot procrastinate -- that takes a lot of discipline. But you also have to reward yourself, take a break. I like to go shoot around in Cameron, but I know everyone does not have that privilege!

Perhaps the greatest challenge for a student-athlete is leaving all your anxiety off the court. Once you step on the court, it is time to concentrate on basketball. Oddly enough, I enjoy practice during finals the most because it gives me a break, a chance to get away and get out some frustrations. I have always found exercise to be a great stress reliever and I assure you that in our practices, exercise is plentiful!

The team has the added stress of expectations. It's easy for us as humans to get caught up in thinking we are good. I know that there is always room to get better and that the moment you feel satisfied, someone else will pass by you. Our team tries to take one day at a time, and Coach G always says, "Lets get better today."

Each practice, we have to forget all the distractions, school, rankings, social life, and commit ourselves to improving. Teams that get better each day win games. Teams with individuals devoted to never settling for just okay win championships.