When freshmen enter high school, there is one message that prevails: Get involved.
In my time at BHS, I’ve joined Drama Club, French Club, The LIGHT Education Initiative, Lit Guild, National Art Honors Society, National Honors Society, Outreach Club, Purbalite, and Yearbook Club – all while taking advanced classes, fencing outside of school, and working a job 20 hours a week.
I wanted to be able to do it all, but it became too much to maintain without burning out.
I overcommitted my time for years. My grades dropped and my stress levels raised. Eventually I realized I was unable to dedicate time to things that matter to me.
Going into my junior year with a full schedule of AP classes, my friends, family, and coaches all urged me to drop some activities and find what genuinely interested me.
At first, I didn’t listen to them. I am a hardworking kid, so I could handle it, right?
Wrong.
Most afternoons, I stayed after school for an activity. Then, I went to the library and did homework until I had to go home for dinner. Often, I would head back out to go to fencing practice or work. Then I’d come home and finish my homework, staying up late every night.
For a while, I barely saw my friends outside of school and didn’t have time to maintain a relationship with my family. Sun up to sun down every day, I was working.
I was burning myself out.
For my senior year, I didn’t take as full of a course load and I dropped out of some clubs.
I did not have the time to participate in everything, and stepping back was difficult. However, learning to prioritize based on what matters to me has allowed me to participate more meaningfully in those things.
I enjoy my classes. I am fencing more. I am able to do more with LIGHT.
The harsh reality of the world is you can’t do it all.
I am glad I explored my interests by participating in a variety of things. If I could do it all again, I would still participate in this same variety, but I hope I would be able to recognize what doesn’t click with me before I burn myself out.
