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36 ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 25, ISSUE 3 f ly." But one Perry is willing to make. More than anything else, it's her time-management skills that might be put to the test most frequently. Perry has a full course load — her Physics 241 class was her most difficult in the fall (Description: "Electrostatics, current electricity, electromagnetism, magnetic properties of matter. Elec- tromagnetic waves, geometrical and physical optics," per Purdue's webpage) — that requires time for classes and labs, plus homework and studying. It is hours upon hours upon hours. Purdue practices 20 hours per week, plus usually has a couple games, as well. And that's the minimum; to be successful at this level, players have got to be willing to take time on their own, getting in an extra lift in the weight room or putting up extra shots in the gym or watching film on the upcoming opponent. "She tells me about her hectic life quite often," said James Per- ry, Bridget's twin brother, who knows at least half the stress, being a sophomore chemical engineering student at Purdue. "In terms of my schedule, hers is definitely much busier, much more hectic, much harsher, in terms of where she has to be, when she has to get things done. Deadlines. "She has much less free time than I do. For me, I have a whole month at Christmas break where I get to hang out with my friends, where she has three days then is back up there practicing and getting ready for games." The key, Bridget Perry has discovered, is to not pro- crastinate, prioritizing the items that need to get done first and scheduling out the rest. She won't do an as- signment the night before it is due, choosing instead to get it done days in advance. Test on a Tuesday? She's studying on a Friday night. "I always get asked, 'How do you do it?' " she said. "I think just being so efficient with time, and the re- sources that the athletics department gives athletes in terms of academics is just amaz- ing. And that's probably the best part about it: I have access to tu- tors. If I have any issues where I need to study or do something the coaches are open to helping me succeed and I think the sup- port from them is important in my academic success." But it's costly, too. Perry's so- cial life suffers. Her schedule allows her about an evening per week — right now that's on Thursday nights — to take a break from studying. She'll clean up her room or do some other needed task, or do something with roommates. If teammates are doing something together, she'll go along, too. "We'll hang out when we can," junior Hayden Hamby said, "and she'll go to some movies and stuff with us, but a lot of the time she's studying. She studies, and the people who have time to hang out hang out. You have to make time, and she does that, she balances it well. She doesn't get to the point where she's so stressed out about it." Perry's calm demeanor extends to the court. The 6-foot-2 wing is growing into her role this season, start- ing all but one of Purdue's first 11 games while averag- ing 8.7 points and 3.7 rebounds per outing. It's been a bit of a bumpy road, one that's not uncom- mon for a young player. As a freshman, Perry showed flashes, scoring nine or more points in four games "With Bridget, she's so motivated in academics and in basketball, she works so hard at both of them." Hayden Hamby on teammate Bridget Perry, a biomedi- cal engineering student and a sophomore wing Tom Campbell Perry's giving Purdue good minutes at the 3 spot this season, especially when she's crashing the boards, like she started doing more in early December.