Many Watauga students have been picking up new extracurriculars and jobs to keep busy during quarantine. Junior Emma Kent sure did. She only moved here in early fall and is trying to balance school, work at Come Back Shack, and the swim team.Time management is extremely important for students attempting to juggle multiple priorities.
Kent says, “It's honestly pretty tricky to balance all three but I got it down to a science. I worked out a schedule with my boss where I get to work pretty early on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday and I work for about 5 hours. After work I get a quick meal and dash over to swim practice, and after that's finished I go home, eat dinner and sometimes do my homework. Usually though, I procrastinate everything until Thursday and Friday unless it's urgent.”
It’s very possible to keep it all up, especially with us only going to school two days a week. This schedule helped Kent make time for a job.
She says, “I honestly love the way school is set up now because this is the only way that I am able to have this job. It also makes it so that I can do my work at my own pace, but on Thursday and Friday I can ask any questions that I may have. I am pretty independent and the way that this is set up is really great for me.”
Moving to Boone, starting over in a new town means transitioning a lot of life. For Kent, getting involved has helped the process of transition.
“Getting involved in the community was a perfect way for me to get settled and make friends after moving, and even more so during this pandemic. I think that moving is hard anyway, but during the summer, in the middle of a pandemic doesn't make it any easier. Swimming, work and church allowed me to make friends in many separate areas and it makes me feel more at home than ever.”
You may not be just moving here, or be as busy as Kent, but we all seem to be busy in a completely different way with our new lives in the Coronavirus pandemic. Here are three points to help you out if you feel stressed about your life in general, but especially trying to balance things:
Take time throughout the day to step back and take deep breaths. A few moments spent in quiet can help a lot.
Don’t be afraid to advocate for yourself. If you want or have a job, ask for hours that allow you to have enough time for school and whatever else is in your life.
It’s really good to keep yourself busy, especially when trying to keep sane during quarantine, but don’t bite off more than you can chew. Make sure you can handle the amount of work you’re doing.
Written by: Kylie Broce
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