Training camp is the most grueling, taxing, and wearing time both mentally and physically on NFL football players. There is something about it that demands so much of these grown men’s time and effort that leaves everyone on edge for the full camp. They are required to stay in a hotel, have a room check every night, and spend their every minute of the day devoted to learning. The preparation is certainly worth it- but that doesn’t make it any more welcomed. My mom, having experienced 12 training camps with my Papa Bear, warned me of this once Oj and I got serious. She gave me tips and ideas, but the moral of the story was “be prepared to be by yourself, and remember that it’s about to stop being about you.”


Last year, I failed miserably about this. By the end of the two and a half week camp, I was trying to mastermind a way to remove this horrible time from the sport altogether. This year, however, I would like to say that after a day or two, I got the hang of it. It has been smooth sailing here in Virginia.


After a full week of not being able to truly have a conversation until 10pm, (when his comforter, pillow and inner eyelids are much more intriguing than me)  we both so look forward to Saturday. I picture us staying up all night laughing and talking like usual, cuddling and having movie marathons and all the things that make us so happy. Since I spend most of my time watching animal documentaries and telling him about it- we watched one together last night. I was still formulating the sleepover plans…what dessert to order, what to watch next, when I hear an all too familiar snore.