By Lucas ’23
As we go through school each day and listen to all of our teachers assign copious work and announce upcoming dates, it can feel really overwhelming. I feel like oftentimes, there’s just not enough time in the day to finish everything and do a good job. Especially learning at home when we don’t have study buddies to work with, I definitely have a hard time getting through all of it. However, I think if we manage our free time well, we can get more work done and leave time for ourselves to chill as well.
The first thing I learned when I came to Harvard-Westlake was that just thinking about all the work I have to do and not actually doing any of it is very unproductive. A very bad habit of mine is occasionally pacing around my room, worried about whatever unfinished work I have left or the tests or quizzes I have the next day. I’ve worked hard to not engage in this time-wasting habit and instead take purposeful breaks from my work to eat, lie down, or take a walk.
Another really good practice I’ve employed recently is each Sunday, making a list of everything I have to do each afternoon in the upcoming week. I do this in my Notes app, and I list tasks in order of importance. This enables me to get things done efficiently and not just live in fear of the mountains of work I have. When I know exactly what I need to do, it helps me to feel more in control.
I love using the iHW app alongside this system too. It’s free on the App Store, and it basically gives you your schedule of classes every single day. You can connect it to the Hub system that our school uses, so your tests, quizzes, and assignments are automatically embedded into the schedule. It also has space for you to add notes for each class or break. This is another great way to keep track of your time during the day, including commitments during lunch or after school.
My final advice is just to not let school take over your life. Especially during distance learning when life can be boring sometimes, we can’t turn to school and stress as the only way to keep us busy and engaged. Block out the time to do something for yourself, or if they’re willing, plan something exciting with your family. My family has enjoyed just taking a drive on weekends around Los Angeles, not really with any destination in mind but just to clear our thoughts.
