HIGH SCHOOL JOURNALISM: Managing time a tough task

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By Alyssa Tisinger, West Branch H.S.WEST BRANCH - As an athlete, one of the hardest things to do is balance everything going on in your life.So you may ask, how do we do it?In high school, there are so many different out-of-school activities a student can be involved in,  ranging from show choir to sports and even robotics club.But these activities take up much of the time teachers would like to be designated for homework. Being a student who is involved in many different things, I know how hard it is to balance school work, social life, sports and family.“This assignment is due tomorrow,” is a common phrase from teachers. But what if there is a game tonight? How is an athlete supposed to get that done?Athletics contests can sometimes go as late as 10 p.m. and when that athlete gets home, they have little to no energy to even attempt homework. If someone is able to muster up the strength needed to start homework, it sometimes takes all night and dearly needed sleep is sacrificed.It seems as though we just can't win.Aside from all the sports and outside of school activities, there is so much pressure when it comes to academics. High school academics could have a major influence on the rest of your life. Finding the time to complete the work necessary to do well in school, while still having a social life, is important to some teenagers. Putting all your focus on one aspect or the other can make trying to manage your time much harder.It's critical to find the healthy balance between school and activities.With that being said, no two people are the same. How you manage your time may be very different than someone else. But as long as you find a way, it should work.It's hard to remember you have to prioritize things in your life. Right now, basketball may seem like the most important thing, but sports are a privilege, not a right. If you are failing a class, you aren't allowed to participate in that sport until the grade is raised.Then there are your friends. During the week, they may want to hangout or go out to eat and, even if you know you have school work to do, it's hard to say no. As a high school student, it's hard to remember academics should come first and the other “fun” things should only come when your work is done.Personally, I know it's much easier to enjoy myself when I don't have the pressing thought of work I haven't started yet back at home.One of the most common things I see among teens is procrastination, which is one of the worst things to have when it comes to effective time management. When a teacher gives you three days to work on an assignment, some some students will wait until  the night before it is due. Sometimes, the easiest thing to do is to get it done as soon as it's assigned. That way you won't forget and have to scramble to producing something in one night that you want a good grade on.As a high school student, it is hard to balance things. You want to put the things you find more enjoyable first. That's not always the best idea.It's a good habit to set aside time during the day specifically for school work, but it's also important to have time for your friends, sports and family.