As high school students, we tend to be constantly overwhelmed with our workload. Of course there are varying opinions on this, and whether you believe high school students have too much on their plates or not enough, we all can acknowledge the difficulty for students in man- aging their time while maintaining their sanity.

We copy what is on the board in front of us, only to look up and realize our teacher is already on to the next topic and we haven’t retained any of the information we just wrote down. Yes, now we have this infor- mation to study with at home, but with sports, extracurriculars, and jobs, there is hardly enough time to re-learn what we had hoped to understand in class. Even when we are mentally present in class, trying our best to grasp the material, our minds are quick to wander when we become con- fused and overwhelmed.

Many students try to fit in time for homework whenever they can. They take those fifteen minutes in the library before baseball practice, or skip lunch to finish their English essay. In theory, it is easy to study and get good grades for every class. If we just managed our time better, paid more attention to the teacher, and studied for our exams we would be doing well. But in reality, when it’s 3 a.m. and you’re still up working on school assignments, sleep suddenly becomes the only thing worth your time. And that test we stayed up studying for is the same one we will struggle to keep our eyes open for the next day.

It would be futile to ask students to get more sleep, and also fin- ish all their assignments on time to the best of their ability. You may ask for one or the other, but not both. Honestly, many students have already accepted the fact that winter and spring breaks are reserved for sleeping, and there is a petition going around to rename summer vacation, “High School Hibernation.”

Unfortunately, this mixture of limited sleep and too many respon- sibilities takes a toll. Getting good grades becomes more important than understanding the material, and all we end up caring about is the letter that appears on our report cards at the end of the quarter. We cram for tests, and memorize facts and figures, only to forget them as soon as we fill in the last bubble on our scantron sheet.

It is easy to become swamped with work, especially when many responsibilities are pulling you in various directions. If you are strug- gling with your schedule, know you are not alone. Many students are in the same boat, trying to manage their stress in the most productive way possible. On the bright side, this heavy workload now is helping prepare you for the future. Just remember that the next time you’re pulling an all- nighter, hoping that coffee you drank will last you until the morning.