Many students can feel overwhelmed during the school year, balancing homework and after school activities, which results in feeling stressed. Teachers can also feel overwhelmed with grading, lesson plans, or running after school activities.

Many LOTAs are involved in clubs, sports, or theater, which can be time consuming, and hard to manage with homework and studying each night. Learning to avoid stress is an important skill to develop.

Sophomore Emi Moberg participates in theater at AHC and finds that it is easy to get overwhelmed during the last three weeks before a show. To avoid stress, she frequently checks the portal, communicates with her teachers, and avoids distractions while doing homework.

 “I find it helpful to put my phone away, so that way I can focus only on my homework. I always put my phone in my kitchen while I do work, so I don’t get distracted,” Moberg explained. 

Junior Rose Tierney is the captain of the indoor track team. She feels that getting overwhelmed by practice and homework can be avoided by having good time management. Tierney said that track helps her manage her time because she knows she needs to get her homework done so she does not need to stay up late. 

“I manage my time by doing homework over the weekend, using my study halls and trying my best to do work the night it is assigned,” Tierney stated. 

If she could give one piece of advice to fellow students, Tierney volunteered, “Focus on school during the school day. Focus on your after school activity later. Try not to worry and take it one day at a time.”

Math teacher Kate Griffith is the director of the school shows. She tries to avoid the stress of grading, creating lesson plans, directing shows, earning her Masters degree, and working with the Improv club by keeping written records of what she needs to accomplish. 

To avoid getting overwhelmed, “Commit to what you are passionate about or what you love and it won’t feel like work. I think students can overcommit themselves which leads to feeling stressed or anxious,” Griffith suggested.