With the first few weeks of the 2024-2025 school year under our belts, I can feel normalcy beginning to set in. With this, I am not saying chaos has disappeared. It is still present and settling into the new school year can be difficult for everybody. Whether you are a freshman adjusting to school or you are a senior, who knows the lay of the land well but is swamped with the stress of college applications, the approach to chaos remains the same. 

Create a plan.  

My Plan 

As a senior, the stress of college applications, schoolwork, working in the food service industry, and continuing to make time for my hobbies hit me last week. I thought I had my plan.  

Go to school, go to work, work out, get homework done, and work on college applications.  

Now from an outside perspective that may seem like a great plan. It checks off all of the boxes of the things I needed to get done but in reality, I felt like a chicken running around with my head cut off. Thankfully one of my friends graciously took the time to sit me down and knock some sense into me. I had been complaining to him about the large workload I had and how I wasn’t sleeping. This is when he helped me identify the main issue of my ‘plan’. I didn’t have my priorities straight. He helped me set the boundary that I would not go to the gym unless my homework was done for the night. 

Before this boundary, I would go to the gym straight from work and end up getting home around 8:30 pm. Without having eaten dinner or begun any of my homework, I would sit down at my kitchen counter and begin my homework at around 9 p.m. This was the root cause of all my issues. Once the cycle of staying up late began, I believed it would never end. 

After this boundary was set, I was able to focus more on my homework because I had the motivation knowing I had to go to the gym afterwards which acted as a reward for me. Another bonus was once I arrived at the gym, I would not be stressed throughout my whole workout and could enjoy my break from school in totality. This new plan also resulted in me arriving home around 9:15 p.m. This is still decently late, but I had all my work completed and was ready to get some rest to repeat the plan the next day.  

Resources – All Completely Free! 

I highly recommend using technology to create a plan. My favorite application is Notion which is a virtual planner. It has agenda features as well as calendar features. This has been helpful to have one platform that I can go to which organizes all aspects of my life. The only downside of Notion is its difficulty to set up. When I first started using it the app was very confusing, but you can look up any video tutorial online or free templates to download onto your Notion. I searched ‘Assignment Tracker’ on Pinterest, and it was able to give me a bunch of different options, one of which I was able to download and personalize.  

Another helpful application I have found is Google Calendar. I have found having a set schedule for what I am doing after school can help keep me focused on my priorities.  

While working on my schoolwork I love using the app Flora to help me focus. This is my favorite resource that I have ever found, and I may need to write a separate article specifically about it. It uses a unique approach where users plant virtual trees that grow as long as they stay focused. If you go on a different app on your phone the ‘tree will die’ and that progress that you had been building will not count. Flora also offers features such as group focus sessions, reminders, and goal setting to promote better time management. This has helped me to put my phone down and just get the work done. 

Lastly, the old-fashioned route is always accessible and a great route. Simply getting a scrap piece of paper and writing down what you need to get done can help visualize your goals and push you to complete them.  

How are other HHS students managing stress and staying organized this year? 

Senior Mia Gilman chooses to take the old-fashioned route as she says, “I always write down my homework in a notebook, so I do not forget it. I also like to write down upcoming tests and quizzes which helps me not procrastinate.” 

Similarly, Junior Kaitlyn Manning says, “Having an agenda helps me stay on top of my work and know when all my assignments are due so I can be able to turn them all in on time.” 

5 Step Guide 

1. Identify your priorities – It is crucial you make time for things you enjoy but depending on the time of year, you may need to focus more of your time on things you may wish were on the back burner. 
2. Create a plan – break down your priorities into smaller tasks that are easier to complete. Crossing one thing off the list is rewarding and builds momentum towards completing the list. 
3. Lock in – Cliche, right? However, I have found I enjoy my work time more when I am not distracted and procrastinating. Similarly, you will be able to fully enjoy your downtime if you are genuinely taking your mind off of work. This will also help you get the rest you need to have energy for the next task you have to do.  
4. Get help – Feel free to reach out to a close friend or family member if you are stuck! There are simple things that they may be able to help identify that you would have never thought of due to being in an overwhelmed state. 
5. Personalize it! – You know yourself the best! Others’ input can be helpful but unless they are professionals, the advice you are getting is just from their personal experiences. All of the resources I listed are simply suggestions and what has worked for me. Every individual is different and is on a different path. It may take time to find the most effect and efficient schedule for yourself, but I highly recommend trying out different methods and finding what works for you.  

I cannot guarantee that this plan will give you the ultimate success of good grades, 8 hours of sleep, and having time to enjoy your hobbies. After all, I am currently sitting in the back of my car headed home from touring schools in New York City at 10 pm on a Monday. But what I will say is I am looking forward to having my schedule ready for me as I take on the rest of my week. Having structure helps return you to a more neutral state in which you can achieve more as you obtain a more level-headed outlook on life.