Now that back-to-school shopping has rolled to a stop and school is back in full swing, many students find themselves struggling to stay caught up on the seemingly never ending list of assignments and their extracurriculars.
With packed schedules ranging from varsity football to the school musical to student council to film club, many Park City High School students juggle all of the expectations that come with being a full time student and dedicating time to the things they’re passionate about.
Students continue to go above and beyond in their hard work, determination and time management, but even the students with straight-A transcripts can struggle to complete their entire to-do list.
In 2023, many colleges aren’t only looking for exemplary grades. They also want students with diverse talents and interests. Schools are looking for high schoolers that are in clubs, sports and dedicate time to their hobbies.
This can feel overwhelming to many students who feel a lot of pressure from these expectations.
Some of these students want to provide some insight to their high school experience, and give advice to others who may be feeling stressed now that school is back in session.
Kelsey Blaszak, a Park City High School senior and varsity volleyball player, said, “I do struggle to do well in school during volleyball season, but the thing that helps me the most to stay on top of it is just doing it as soon as I can. A lot of the time I do it on the bus, and typically there is always someone on the bus who has the class, or has been in the class, who can help you with the assignment.”
The volleyball star’s schedule is packed with three-hour practices Monday through Friday, with the exception of game days.
Blaszak went on to say that staying organized, via to-do lists, helped her to stay ahead of the game in school and she makes sure to prioritize sleep, especially when her schedule is as busy as it is.
“I really make sure not to stress myself out too much and always make sure I get good sleep instead of staying up stressing,” she said.
Owen Campbell, a varsity player on the Park City High School Miners football team, discussed his challenges juggling both school and his sport, as well as tips for other students.
Not only is Campbell an exemplary student and outstanding player, he is also one of the three sports coordinators on the student council.
His team practices five days a week from around 2:30 to 6 p.m., which typically includes a lifting workout, a meeting and then playing on the field, he said.
Due to an injury called lisfranc, Campbell is out for 10 to 12 months, but he strives to inspire the fans through his perseverance and support for his team.
He also gave some recommendations to his fellow peers.
“My advice to anyone struggling with their own time management would be to just make a routine and get in the habit of it, but also allow yourself free time to do the things you like,” Campbell said.
Like Campbell, two representatives from Park City High’s student council have some advice for their peers.
Zach Minter is this year’s student body president, and Scarlett Brinton is the senior class president for the class of 2023. Both have done amazing jobs in their positions, along with Blake Solomon, the student body vice president, and Will Province, the senior class vice president.
Minter balances his school work with film club, debate team, journalism and of course, his role as a leader of the student body.
He talked about how staying on top of his different roles in the school community hasn’t been too challenging.
“To be candid, I often like to get my assignments and work done ASAP, for example when I have homework for math or (biology), it’s usually done the same day it’s assigned,” he said.
Procrastination is an important habit to break in order to succeed as a student, and doing assignments the day you receive them is a great way to do that, Minter said.
While his school year so far has not been too challenging, he did say that he has had difficulties juggling his responsibilities between being student body president and his job as a server’s assistant at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse.
Although he enjoys both, Minter said it can be difficult to create enough time to prioritize both.
“Often as students we get pretty stressed, (and) that’s unfortunately the environment that school breeds for teens,” he said. “I need to work on this too, but (it’s important to) just realize that you’re probably OK. Don’t be too hard on yourself.”
Minter’s last piece of advice for his peers is to get plenty of sleep, and a nap is never a bad idea, especially when school starts bright and early at 7:35 a.m.
Brinton has also been a supportive leader for her fellow seniors. Not only does she dedicate her time to student council, she is also a figure skater, on the board on National Honors Society and she volunteers at her church once a week.
“Since freshman year, I’ve had to go through a huge learning curve on how to balance all of my activities, family, school and friends,” she said. “Luckily, I think that this year I’ve gotten close to mastering it.”
Brinton’s secret to success is to complete what she doesn’t want to do first, so it’s crossed off her to-do list and out of her thoughts.
“It’s such a good feeling to be out with friends knowing that you don’t have any homework waiting for you back home,” she said.
As a senior in high school, athlete, volunteer and student council member, Brinton has quite the schedule, but she doesn’t let that stop her from going above and beyond in and outside of school.
It is important for students to remember that time management and self-discipline are important for success. They also need to know that giving themselves a break to relax and do the things that bring them peace is still valuable and necessary, because dropping out is not an option.
As basketball legend Michael Jordan said, “No brain, no gain. Stay in school.”