Many Northwood students have busy lives outside of school because of activities like clubs, sports, church, taking care of siblings and working. Along with attending these extra activities on a regular basis, some students are enrolled in honors and AP classes. While school is a part of most teenagers’ lives, balancing classes with the extra activities is not as easy as some make it look.
“Sometimes during basketball season it’s kind of hard because practice ends at 6:00 and you go home and you’re tired and you don’t feel like doing anything,” senior Alexis Brower said. “So I’ll go to practice, go home take a nap, and then do my homework so I won’t be as tired.”
Aside from after school activities, some students decide to get jobs because of the expenses that come along with things like driving, college applications, sports, helping support family and just wanting extra money.
“I just decided that it was probably time [to get a job],” junior Holly Thomas said. “I was about 16 and I decided I needed money and I was going to have to pay for gas and going out to eat some with my friends because my mom didn’t want to pay for everything that I had to do, so I took responsibility.”
More times than not, hard work in high school tends to pay off for students in the future. Students take rigorous classes and do more extra activities in hopes of having better chances at getting into top colleges, as well as earning scholarships.
“I like to be active in activities outside of school and inside of school, and my motivation for good grades is that you have to stay focused in high school, and it should pay off in the future and in college,” junior Kenya Lee said.
Naturally, sacrificing social lives to get work done is a part of high school, but it can be difficult at times for some students.
“It is good to still have a social life and talk to your friends, but you need to get your school work done so you can do well in school and have a good future and have a good high school experience,” Thomas said.
It is not all work all the time for students. For some of these students, extra activities also happen to be things that they like to do on their own time.
“I listen to music, I eat and watch TV, or I dance,” said senior Ebone Rhodes, who is on the Northwood dance team.
The students offered up some advice for students who have a hard time with prioritizing school and other activities.
“I make sure my grades are good and I know how to balance things,” Lee said. “Don’t stress yourself out too much, know what you can handle.”
–By Kiada Capel