My schedule is CRAZY. I'm constantly volunteering in my community, going to meetings, or doing immense amounts of homework. Some of my friends ask me how I handle such a busy lifestyle, and every time I respond by saying, "I don't know; I just do it!" As my Junior year takes off and my days become more packed, even I need a better answer than that.

Imagine leaving for school at 7:15 in the morning and not going home until 8:00 at night. For me, that's almost normal. I maintain very high grades in advanced-level classes, have a part-time job, and am a member of nine (about to be ten) clubs / boards / societies. I'm co-president of the Junior Board, co-captain of Dance Team, historian of Drama Club, on the leadership council of Future Americans of Medicine, and running for an officer in Science National Honor Society. I treat each position as a job and put a lot of effort into performing it well. Apart from that, I'm an active member of all the other clubs I've joined, attending every single meeting with very few exceptions. I frequently volunteer at different places around my community, and, like I said before, have a part-time job at a local gym. The weekend is the only time I have to spend with friends, so I make the best of it by going out and being with them. As you can imagine, my schedule gets booked pretty fast, but I find ways to keep up with it and make it a little less stressful.

Having a busy schedule and maintaining a busy schedule are two different things. I have three separate calendars in which I keep plans and their specific times written down. In the rare instance, I'm unable to attend a meeting or event, I let someone know right away. I check my email about ten times a day and quickly respond to anyone I need to. I've found that saying, "I'll do it later," is a huge mistake because either I'll forget to do it or keep pushing it back until it's too late. Before I go to bed each night, I make sure everything is done or prepared for the next day -- and if I complete everything early, I start on something new. Basically, being a prompt communicator, writing everything down, and keeping track of time is how I maintain my jam-packed itinerary.

I've gotten used to staying after school, running from place to place, and going to bed late after finishing homework, but sometimes I become overwhelmed. I start to think I might not be able to get everything done or that I'm going to go crazy if I don't stop and take a breath. I've discovered that the best way to get over this stress and these thoughts is not to stop but keep pushing through. The stress won't go away until everything is done, so if I have to wake up at 8 a.m. on Sunday and work until I go to bed I'll do it. If my boyfriend wants to take me out but I have a ton to do, I'll just say no. I'll accept the fact that I overbooked myself and deal with the consequences of not hanging out but doing work all day long. I understand that taking a break is great, but the best way for me to deal with the stress of an insane schedule is to keep going and make compromises!

So yes, my life is hectic and I have three different calendars at age 16. Sometimes it really sucks because I wish I could just sit and watch TV (which I don't do because I don't have time!), but I've chosen to be a busy person and I love it. I love always having something to do or a place to be, and it makes my downtime extra relaxing. When my schedule becomes way too much I'll reevaluate and make some changes. But as for now, I'll keep doing what I'm doing and enjoy never being bored!