I'm busy. Like really busy. So busy that I don't know what to do with myself when I don't have anything to do on a school night.
Since 5th grade I have had to balance homework and at least one activity almost every school night. Earlier on in high school, I would go to school each day, leave from school and go straight to soccer practice, come home from soccer and work on my homework, and go to bed, wake up and do it all over again. I typically had one night off from soccer each week, and that was strictly devoted to homework and sleep. On Friday afternoons, I would leave for the weekend to take a bus trip to another state for two games. Getting ahead (or catching up!) was key.
Now, I have two jobs, a senior level amount of homework, college apps, numerous clubs to keep track of, on top of sleeping, and making time with friends. But it all gets done, and I haven't gone crazy, at least not yet.
I've seen this picture over and over on Twitter...and I disagree! You can even make this a square by adding SPORTS to this and there's a way to reach all four corners. It's difficult, and can be exhausting, but there's always a way to manage.
Knowing what you want to do, and what's most important to you is the key. I always put school at the top of my triangle, so no matter what, my school work gets done. Sleep typically comes second, although sometimes it comes behind my sports.
As for a social life, yes, it's true, I've missed school dances and other school events during the week. And the "I can't, I have soccer" has made it out of my mouth more than a few times, but I still believe in my social life. We're with our friends all day at school! And a soccer game at 3:00 on Saturday doesn't mean the whole night is gone (although it might feel that way sometimes). Not to mention teammates can also be good friends.
Being so busy, I've grown to worship my agenda! Prioritizing my work, taking advantage of free time and getting ahead when I can, keeps me sane. I'm a girl who can not function on less than 7 hours of sleep. 11PM is my maximum bedtime on school nights. I make a habit of writing down EVERYTHING I have to do, and it feels that much better when I get to cross each event off. You can always make it through another day no matter what your schedule looks like.
Leave a comment below with your biggest challenge or best tip for maintaining your balance.