Though numerous NWA students participate in extracurricular activities, juggling increasingly busy schedules has led many to feel anxious and stressed when it comes to managing school work.
“I’d say [it causes] a little bit [of stress],” says sophomore Lulu Tonisson, who attends an AAH on Monday afternoons. “I get home at around 6pm, and I try to do my homework before dinner, [because] if I do it after I just get tired faster and unmotivated.”
This sentiment is echoed throughout the student body, particularly those with two or more after school obligations each week.
“Sometimes I get excessively busy with a lot of class work,” says Max Orton, a junior taking courses at Reed College, as well as martial arts multiple times a week.
The United States is facing a crisis in teenage mental health. A survey by the American Psychological Association found that 45 percent of all teens said they felt stressed out by academic related pressure.
Amanda Lighthiser teaches ninth grade High School Seminar and has over 20 years of experience helping students navigate stress and cultivate productive time management habits.
“I think busy schedules have a huge impact [on students],” says Lighthiser. “Over the years I’ve seen students get busier and busier outside of school. I think the number of structured activities students are involved in has gone way up. I think that [the amount of] homework that students are seeing has also gone up.”
The United States has seen an increase in extracurricular activities. According to Urban.org, “Nationally, 83 percent of all children ages six to 17 participate in at least one extracurricular activity, including clubs, sports or lessons.”
Seeking out challenging and interesting opportunities can be very important, as it allows students to learn and experience new things. Likewise, the majority of colleges and universities look for well-rounded applicants who have participated in a wide range of volunteer opportunities, extracurricular activities or lessons outside of school.
This academic advantage can motivate students to seek out extra work, but has the potential to be detrimental, as it can push students to an unhealthy degree of anxiety.
Lighthiser believes that the number one challenge for students with busy schedules is managing their time effectively, as the workload can easily become overwhelming.
“When students are really busy, it gets harder for them to manage their time,” she says, “It takes a lot of higher-order thinking to be able to plan it out, because if you’re really busy after school you need to be really forward-thinking and budget your time accordingly.”
Students with little free time at home have found creative and constructive ways to manage their work.
“[I often use] study hall to finish my work,” says Uzi Thompon, a freshman.
Many students have found in-school work time particularly beneficial, as it can provide more free time outside the classroom.
“I try to get a lot of things done during study hall, [or] when I get home if there’s anything extra,” says Skye Groves, a sophomore, “and [I] often stay up late.”
Lighthiser cites the benefits of using a planner, calendar or bullet-journal to plan ahead and remember assignments, as they allow the user to tackle tasks day by day and week by week.
“When we write things [down] we remember them, especially when we write them by hand. I’m a big fan of paper planners,” says Lighthiser.
Some students have found this method particularly beneficial, as they can adapt it to fit their needs
“[I use] lists,” says Noah Lee, a freshman. “Lots of lists.”
Raine Conley, a freshman involved in the high school production of Heathers: The Musical, has worked on homework during rehearsal when they are not needed on stage, or finished assignments on the bus when commuting to or from school and other afterschool activities.
“I’m just revising things and finishing them on the weekends and [sometimes] turning them in late,” says Conley. “I think someone who wants to turn things in on time everyday might have a difficult time in Heathers.”
Others have turned to techniques addressing the anxiety itself.
“I have been doing some meditation between school and [the activity], just to keep from exploding,” says Orton.
NWA provides support for students struggling in the form of counseling, as well as teachers who cultivate healthy learning habits and time management skills in their students.
“[It’s important to] reach out to your teachers if you need help,” says Conley.
