<p>I'm the sort of person who has OCD tendencies, stresses out very easily, and I'm taking 8.5 courses this year (almost all honors, sadly no APs this year). Not to mention volunteering two days a week, working two days a week, and studying all in between. I feel as if there's never a moment just to breathe and enjoy life any more. I'm a big reader, and a technology nerd, and I now hardly ever have time for either! I go to school at 8:15am and finish at 3:30pm. Then, I study for about five hours. That's the schedule for three days a week, and its different the other two days (I'm homeschooled). I just have so much course work and taking Honors Geometry and Honors Algebra II simultaneously is killing me (I like math, but I don't love it). Despite this, I have an A in Geometry and I just started Algebra II...fortunately I have an excellent tutor (she's legally considerd my teacher) so I hope she can help me understand the latter subject. I love all of my other subjects, but I just feel really worn down by my ECs and studying incessantly. I'm stressed over the PSAT (I know 10th grade scores are practically meaningless)...</p>
<p>So how are you guys handling stress this semester? I'm about to start working out next week haha. </p>
<p>Well I am doing something similar but more work I guess I’m not working(I would never have time!) and to get the IB Dipolma it requires me to get volunteer hours and my Fridays and soon to be Saturdays are busy with band…yay<em>sarcasm</em>. But for hw, before you start right after school ends, take a 10-20 minute break and do something relaxing or detsressing. And in-between each assignment take a 5-10 minute break in between unless it takes you 30 minutes or less. If have a ton of assignments due the next day, then you can’t do that. As for volunteering, try to do it during the weekend or make it about an hour long during the week. I have a giant whiteboard above my desk and I write out everything tht is due within two days or a project and anything that I need to do long term(AKA SAT Studying). If you’re really busy, late nights and coffee will be your best of friends, so enjoy sleep!! :D</p>
<p>I don’t know anything about homeschooling but it sounds like you just need to breathe. Like I don’t know studying 5 hours seem ridiculous- especially with just honors classes, figure out what classes you need to study for. Like you’re worried about maths study for that, not-so-worried about English only study when you have a test. If you truly need all five hours then schedule breaks, eat lots of chocolate, drink tea make studying relaxing.
I’ve never had any true problems with a busy schedule (Although I’m dangerously close to a B in Chem/Maths so perhaps I ought not be talking) and it doesn’t sound like you’re too busy so just breathe.</p>
<p>@Kaeroze and @Siriuss thanks for the advice. Yes, five hours is a lot. My classes are quite rigorous, though plus I always strive to make the best grades possible. I actually just coughed up a 500-word essay this afternoon haha but that was no problem. I just have practically zero social life now (I don’t want to hear about me being a stereotypical homeschooler I do have friends haha) I just have decided to really once concentrate on school more this year. My English class could actually be considered AP if my teacher would just have it audited by the College Board…</p>
<p>I already live on coffee and tea…and chocolate!</p>