<p>For most of the first semester of junior year, I was able to stay focused and get good grades. But I am starting to burn out quickly.</p>
<p>I have no APs and only 3 honors. I volunteer at bigbrothers once a week. I work once a week. And I have tennis for 2 hours 3 times a week, but with the school season starting up, I will go to 4 hours 5 days a week. I also want to start volunteering at the YMCA so I can take free kick boxing classes.</p>
<p>Compared to some of you...that schedule is NO THANG. But I am getting older and starting to have a more active social life. Argh. I go to the beach every weekend and parties or movies at night. </p>
<p>Is anyone else struggling with the balance? By the time I get home after a long weekend, I can barely lift my hand to do any homework. </p>
<p>Should I focus more on school right now or should I enjoy my high school life? I don't want to go to Harvard, (my biggest current reach is Vanderbilt) but I do want to go to a decent college with a scholarship.</p>
<p>I guess I am just confused....argh...am I alone?</p>
<p>My schedule is less rigorous than yours.. Yeah compared to everyone else on cc, mine's like what you guys did in 9th grade.. (biggest reach: jhu)
As you said, 'you're getting older and starting to have a more active social life'. Well I'm more like, im getting older and starting to have a less active social life.</p>
<p>Just a couple of years ago, I used to go out all weekend, drink and get wasted and have heaps of fun. Now I have barely any time or am too tired to make it to friday night social events or even saturdays.
And no, my friends arent in the same ECs as me except soccer. So I dont get to hang out with my friends at EC time.</p>
<p>So yes Im struggling with balance.
But I dont think it's much importance. At one time I thought it was very important to obtain a balance but my kind of balance was the extremes on the either sides of the scale. I'm not a person who can party hard and work hard at the same time. I had to chose one and I chose work. I still have a social life but it's not the most important thing in my life anymore.
You're not alone :)</p>
<p>I work like 20 hours a week with 1 AP class, and 3 pre-ap classes(my school is weird) plus newspaper, drama, and debate(which takes up most fridays and saturdays. </p>
<p>I really don't find it that hard to balance everything. You just have to be focused to do it.</p>
<p>Focus on your grades. In regards to your ECs, pick your favorites and excel in them. It is better to be the best in a few things (leadership roles, etc.) than have a laundry list of random things you are a member of. But don't let your grades suffer over kick-boxing.</p>
<p>Time Management is essential. Try to cut down on things like watching TV, AOL, etc. Work Hard during the week and have fun with your friends on the weekends. Prioritize and try to get your work done before going to the beach, etc. You'll enjoy going out with your friends more, knowing that you worked hard during the week and got everything done.</p>
<p>At Vandy, the typical student works very hard on the weekdays and partys hard on the weekends. It takes alot of practice and self-discipline but remember your goals and try your best. Good luck and I hope you get in.</p>
<p>Well...I am sort of making progress. I turned down a day of surfing on friday, so I can study for the SAT. </p>
<p>And yeah, I do have a bit of a laundry list. I didn't even mention the clubs I am involved with. The only one I actually like is tennis, but I want to start takign guitar lessons...but I havent had the time yet. Maybe I will hold off on the kick boxing.</p>
<p>And Vandy sounds perfect for me. I am definitely a work hard/play hard gal. Well, I am trying to be.</p>
<p>Balance is really hard. It becomes much easier when work is kicking your ass so hard that it is physically impossible to have a social life. </p>
<p>More importantly its all about choices. You have to make good use of your time and plan ahead. If you have little or no homework or projects due then go ahead and spend time with your friends and hang out. But if you know you have stuff to do its not such a great idea. Planning ahead really helps you out. If you know you have something due in a few weeks time, do it now, it leaves you more time for friends later. That's essentially how I'm making it through senior year, although my social life has decreased quite a bit since 10th and 11th grade. I goofed off for awhile, then finally got serious.</p>
<p>reaching a balance is so necessary to stay healthy. i have so much trouble balancing b/c i 3 APs & 3 honors, take a stanford class online, president of my class, run track/cross country, & tutor....its basically impossible to save time for fun. make sure to stay on top of your work and not get behind. stay on a schedule and even tho i sound like a tool schedule in time for fun because you may find that if you're on a schedule you'll stay on task and get things done more efficiently :) make sure to go out at least one night on the weekend, because you'll go crazy if you dont.</p>
<p>enjoy life because high school is supposed to be some of the greatest years!</p>
<p>There are plenty of people on this board that live very stressful lives :(. It's tough being a kid these days.</p>
<p>I think you've either got to be efficient (not be distracted) or work until the wee hours of morn. If you want to succeed and are not unhumanly brilliant, there's no way around this one.</p>