
As an involved teenager, my life has always been exceptionally busy. Â This past month or so, though, my life has become even busier than ever before. Â Currently, I am heavily involved in school (where I am taking four AP classes, in the middle of a high school football season, applying to colleges, and trying to balance a social life and a girlfriend in there). Â This fast-paced lifestyle has been hectic, but there are also some major upsides to it.
The first of these upsides is the changes I have made to my management of a busy schedule. Â Throughout my life, I have struggled with poor time management skills and a tendency to procrastinate at random. Â Due to the sheer volume of things I need to do, I have become much better at managing my schedule. Â While it doesn’t sound pleasant, I have also been forced to stop procrastinating by my life. Â For example, I have a late arrival period at my school. Â While most students use it to sleep, I use it to do my college applications, because I would never get them done otherwise.
I also developed a greater appreciation for the little free time I have. Â When I was younger, I took free time for granted and never really grasped what it really meant to be busy. Â Now that my life has become a bit hectic, I have gained a true appreciation for what free time I have. Â Instead of taking for granted that I will get to see my friends or my girlfriend, I realized that I need to plan my life in order to have time to see people and find space in my schedule. Â This isn’t necessarily fun, but it has helped prepare me for what adult life will be like.
Finally, I learned how to use a calendar properly. Â I know that makes me sound really dumb, but it’s completely true. Â I have always had a big day planner type calendar, but I never really used it to its full potential. Â Now that I am so busy, I have needed to fill it out in order to stay on top of life. Â This calendar has become my saving grace, because it keeps my life in order.
There is a considerable deal of stress that comes with living a busy life, but it pays off in the end. Â In the meantime, while you are stressed, you will learn a lot and become prepared for the real world.
