SATs, ACTs, AP exams, final exams, graduation rehearsal, graduation, NHS inductions, the musical, the Freddy Awards, sports, banquets, senior nights, choir competitions, band and orchestra performances, course selection, and college preparation.

For any high school student, the list just seems to go on and on. In fact, it only seems to multiply as the days left until the long-awaited last day of school on June 6th become fewer.

As a high school student, involved in possibly way too many extracurriculars and accelerated classes for my sanity, I do struggle with the simple thought of this run-on list of things to prepare for, partake in, and complete. So does sophomore Patrick D’Amico.  

“I’m involved in Jazz Society, Meistersingers, the spring musical, the Freddy Awards, and am taking a full course load, with five honors-weighted classes,” D’Amico said. “Keeping up with normal school work and studying for finals while practicing and rehearsing for these extracurriculars definitely comes with a lot of stress.”

It is evident to many that by the end of the third quarter, most of our teenage brains tend to transition from “school mode” to “summer mode.” The beach, summer camps, summer jobs, preseason practices, college preparation, and so much more all run on a repeated cycle through this “summer brain.”

But, although these summer break thoughts may not seem like such a bad thing, when it comes to completing all of the end-of-the-year tasks, a summer brain is not so ideal anymore. 

Now, although I can’t magically lift all of this stress off your shoulders, nor can I sit here and tell you the end of the school year is a breeze, I can guide you in the right direction: allowing you to live the last few days of this 2024 school year just a little bit less overwhelmed. 

The first slice of advice may sound typical, but from my experience, it is key to a clear mind and less stressful day-to-day life: organization. Picture yourself rolling over in bed on a Saturday afternoon, finally able to sleep in. All is good in the world until you crack one eye open and see the mess of a room, with this past week’s clutter scattered all over the place. Once you  eventually get out of bed and start picking each disarrayed item and placing it back in its rightful place, you start to feel better, more organized, and gain a much clearer mind. 

A planner or daily organizer works the same way.    

“I find it very helpful [to] stay on top of all my schoolwork and extracurriculars,” junior Faith Schiffer said. “Without a checklist or a to-do list, I find myself to be very disorganized, and more likely to procrastinate and be unsuccessful.” 

And that’s the key to it. Organization paves the way to success and a clearer mind. 

As for my second piece of advice, it’s not so much an active improvement to make, but more so a mindset to have. I tend to spend hours, if not days, hyper-fixated on studying for a test, final, midterm, or anything else related to my academics. And no matter how long I spent studying, I would finish the test and convince myself that I was incredibly underprepared. It wasn’t until my mom told me to “know when to say when” that I realized I was not underprepared whatsoever, and I did study enough. 

With a major part of the “end of year stressors” list being exams and assessments, it is crucial to know when to say “I studied as much as I could,” and close your books or laptop to get some sleep. Among high schoolers, the idea of overworking oneself is much too normalized. At some point in time, you have to acknowledge the amount of work you’ve put in, and “say when.”

 My final few words for this advice column are short and simple: just enjoy it. At the end of the day, you are living some of the best years of your life. 

“Even though academics are important, I allow myself to still take time to enjoy the activities outside of school,” D’Amico said, “because everyone needs a break once in a while if you’re constantly working.”

As he said, academics are clearly important, but it is still so crucial to recognize the side of high school that is responsible for producing eustress, rather than distress. I think we all can agree that nights spent stressing over some test, game, or concert are not the best memories. So just enjoy it; make some new, positive memories that you would want to look back on in the years following high school graduation.