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The Juggling Act of Junior High

By: Liz & Ashley
9F Journalism


Got a lot on your plate? That’s normal for a junior high student. The pile of homework builds up, the drama with friends is outstanding, added pressures of dating sucks, and those overworked sports practices leave you drained. Need some tips on balancing it all out?

Too much homework?
The number one answer from students we asked was homework. Getting it all finished and actually doing a good job is a big pressure. Having a life with good grades can be tricky. Do you go to this weekend’s party or finish your homework? They key to all of this is to prioritize. You can finish your homework and hang out with your friends by not saving everything for the last minute. If it is due next week do a little bit each day by spending twenty minutes on it before you go out. It will be done before you know it.

Worrying about failing?
Especially for grade nines this year will determine your future greatly. Sometimes you just want to scream and run away. If you do not understand the topics you are learning either talk to your parents, friends, or that teacher. You just have to keep your cool and stay calm.  One student said that she would go home have five minutes to complain about everything and than just get over it and get back to work. You have to balance your life with school and downtime.

Late for every class?
You just want to talk to your friends for a little longer before you indulge in boring subjects. The bell rings and you’re locked out of your class. Now you have not only lost your lunch hour but you will have even more homework for the class you just missed. Were those last minutes really worth it? You get a lunch and a ten minute break for a reason. The trick of staying on schedule is to socialize later and get to your classes right when the bell rings.

Feeling like you’re in a soap opera?
You may not be in acting class but that doesn’t mean that there will not be exploitations. You and your friends may not always get along and might fight about the silly things but it’s important to not get dragged under by all the drama. Girls are especially bad for this kind of thing when they worry about the little things. Just try to relax and take everything as it comes. Sometimes you just got to ignore the rumors and surround yourself with people that know who you really are. Let’s just leave the drama for Mrs. Sorensen!

Sports tiring you out?
In between homework and studying, friends and drama there’s still sports. They can either wipe you out or keep you going. For some people it’s a place to get away and just play the game but for others it may be exhausting and you just don’t have the time and energy. Sports can release endorphins that actually make you happy and they can be tons of fun. The thing you have to keep in mind is that if it’s not something you really want to be doing then you need to decide if it’s a waste of time or not. You need to realize when you are doing too much of personal unnecessary things. Sometimes though, you want to keep busy, stay active, and healthy. Fun sports are good for that.

There is a solution to most things, you just have to find it. If you want more information on dealing with pressures and issues then check out these websites:
 http://www.heads-away-just-say.com/school.htm
http://www.ecampustours.com/campuslife/studyhabitsandtimemanagement/