How D1 Athletes Really Live: Inside My Dorm at LSU

Most people have no idea how D1 athletes actually live. Welcome to my D1 athlete dorm at LSU. People always ask what it is actually like to live as a D1 athlete on campus. The short answer: it is not the luxury suite people imagine, but it is set up in a way that makes it as easy as possible to train, recover, and still have a life. Here is a full tour of my second-year apartment at LSU.

The Kitchen: Fueling a D1 Distance Runner

The first thing you see walking in is the kitchen. It is a five-star kitchen in the sense that it keeps us alive, but it is not exactly a chef’s dream. The fridge situation tells you everything you need to know about college athlete life: kombucha, grapes, and not much else. Grapes are honestly one of the most underrated snacks for runners because they are hydrating, easy to grab, and never make your stomach upset before a run.

Up top is the supplement shelf, which is where the real investment lives. I have red velvet collagen, cafe mocha protein powder, and berry lemonade BCAAs that I had not even opened yet at the time of filming. Behind the supplements is basically all the food we have to our name. The kitchen appliances are minimal. The oven works, the dishes pile up until one of us finally mans up and does them, and that is just the reality of two athletes sharing a space.

The Living Room: Movie Nights and Downtime

The living room is where we host movie nights and decompress after hard training days. We have a 65-inch TV and a couple of boards for gaming. Recovery is not just about foam rolling and sleep. Having a space where you can actually relax and take your mind off training matters more than people think, especially during intense training blocks when the mental fatigue can be just as real as the physical fatigue.

My Roommate’s Room

My roommate’s room is straightforward and functional. As athletes, neither of us needs anything extravagant. The rooms in this apartment are a significant upgrade from freshman year dorms. Having actual walls and a door instead of a shared cube makes a huge difference for sleep quality, which is one of the most important recovery tools a distance runner has.

My Room: Where the Content Gets Made

My room doubles as my bedroom and my content studio. This is where all the YouTube videos, TikToks, and editing happen. Balancing content creation with D1 training is its own challenge, but having a dedicated space for it helps me stay organized. The setup is simple: a desk, my camera gear, good lighting, and a bed that I actually invested in because sleep quality directly affects how I recover and perform.

Special Features: The Scooter and Location

One of the best things about the apartment is the scooter parking right by the door. After running ten miles in the morning, the last thing you want to do is walk across campus to class. The scooter solves that problem completely. The location of this apartment is also as good as it gets for an athlete. Being close to the training facilities, the track, and campus means less time commuting and more time either training or recovering.

The Reality of D1 Athlete Housing

The rooms are genuinely beautiful compared to what most people expect from college housing, and the location cannot be beat. But it is still a college apartment shared by athletes who are more focused on training than interior design. The fridge is usually empty because we eat most of our meals at the dining hall or the athlete nutrition center. The kitchen is functional but not fancy. And the living space is built around what matters most: rest, recovery, and having a place to unwind between workouts.

If you are a high school runner wondering what D1 life actually looks like day to day, this is it. It is not glamorous, but it is designed to support what we do. And honestly, having a solid living situation makes a bigger difference in your training than most people realize. When your home base is dialed in, everything else falls into place.

For more behind-the-scenes content, see my daily routine as a D1 athlete.