But for Callan Ward, his final year at Williamstown High and his future career happened to overlap as he juggled his studies with his first year with the Western Bulldogs.
He admits that living the dual life of a full-time student and league footballer was demanding and strange at times.
"It was hard. I did weights in the morning at about 8am then started school at 9.30. I did that every day then after school I'd come down to the club and do training with the coaches or get treatment with the physios. It was pretty full-on and was tough at times, but I enjoyed it," Ward told westernbulldogs.com.au.
"It was a bit weird. Liam Jones is doing that now. I did school every day of the week and I did football almost every day of the week. It's pretty busy but I enjoyed it and that's the most important thing."
Ward played six games for the Bulldogs last year after debuting against St Kilda in round 11.
While any senior game was seen as a bonus in his first season, Ward said he was looking to cement a spot in the senior 22 in 2009.
"I'm hoping for team success first before anything else, but I'm hoping I can play every game of the year, which is a big goal for me," he said.
"If I do that I will be really pleased with my year. Then I just want to play as many games as I can and do whatever I can to get there."
Ward said he would be able to focus more on his football this year but knew that the club held higher expectations for him, as he has discovered this summer in a tough pre-season campaign.
"Last year because it was my first year I only did half of the stuff. This year we're doing almost 100 per cent of it. Before Christmas I had tendonitis in my knee which has healed now. I've been doing full training," he said.
"With no school this year it should help me. I'll be down at the club a lot more, which should help me."
Ward's life as a student is not completely over as he looks to do a TAFE course in fitness before embarking on a university degree in 2010.
Though he may be keeping one eye on life after football, his main focus this year is solely on the red, white and blue.
"I think this year everyone is a lot closer than we were last year if we keep bonding like we're doing and training hard. Training has been really good since Christmas especially," he said.
"We just have to keep going hard and in the games we have to concentrate on things like the one per centers – tackling, chasing and blocks and shepherds. Just helping out teammates. That's the main thing."
