Being a student is stressful. Projects, assignments and homework are constantly due. School work is not the only thing students have to worry about. Sports and practices, extracurricular activities, clubs, meetings and anything else that families pack in leave little free time. So many things need to be done and completed that sometimes student life is overwhelming.
Counselor Donna Ramos is familiar with the hectic schedules of students at the Academy.
“Students should set one big goal that they want to complete. Then, within the big goal make smaller goals. Prioritize the goals, starting with something that needs to be done and work toward things that are not as urgent. If you just look at the bigger goal, it can be very overwhelming and your brain just shuts off and nothing gets done. Having smaller goals makes it easier to handle.
“Try to minimize distractions but don’t completely eliminate them. Say if you want to go on Facebook or check your phone for messages. If you eliminate them totally, your mind becomes preoccupied with might be happening or how many notifications are adding up. Then nothing gets done. Instead, use them as a reward for completing the smaller goals. If you finish the first task, then you can check Facebook or text back your friends.
“Another important thing to realize is you can’t just look as having three hours to get through all of this work. That would just overwhelm you even more. It would be most effective to break up the time you have into different segments and assign certain tasks to the time segments you have. Finally, if you need help, don’t be ashamed to ask for it. It really makes the task more bearable if there is a support group,” said Ramos.
Senior Connie Lee is on the Senior Class council, belongs to many clubs and is on principal’s list. She knows what it is like to have a busy schedule.
“I always write things down in lists and planners or on sticky notes. There is a sense of accomplishment when I can cross something off a list. I also have to remind myself to focus on working through the problem instead of just worrying about the problem as a whole. Sometimes, I tend to just look at the problem and get so overwhelmed by just the thought of it that I end up getting nothing done, but I know if I just do it, it won’t be nearly as difficult as I imagined it would,” said Lee.
Senior Kaelyn Tanaka is a clarinet player in the Academy band and on the school tennis team. She has to deal with many practices while trying to keep up with homework.
“I just prioritize my work in order of importance. After practice, I do what I can until I am too tired and what’s done is done. I try not to stress about what I didn’t finish that night and I work on it the next morning and during breaks. Fortunately, since I do my work in order of importance, the work I didn’t finish isn’t crucial to my grade or sometimes not even due the next day,” said Tanaka.
