Many students at Cathedral balance schoolwork, sports, and a social life which can be very difficult. Having strong time-management skills is very important for all students to avoid stress and last-minute work. By learning how to manage your own time and still have energy after all your work, students can succeed without any extra stress.

Whether on the field, in the gym, or in the classroom, students’ daily schedules are packed from early mornings to late nights with constant activities. Lia Palecek ‘28 speaks on how she has become a more organized person. “I’ve learned to plan ahead, use every free moment wisely, and stay disciplined about my priorities.” She says she never has much downtime with all of her work she has, which means she has to be prepared and always prioritize school work.

Just like Lia, Nora Bono ‘26 is always staying consistent in her work and disciplined. Nora says, “Sleep is something that is so important, but often overlooked.” Nora makes sure she gets a good amount of sleep every night to not only help her perform well in games, but also in her classes as well.

Being able to have a calendar to plan out the week ahead is super helpful for high schoolers to stay on top of their work and not fall behind. Small distractions, like phones and background noise, can affect the way a student performs on an assignment and how they execute a specific task. When you minimize distractions, students can really understand what they are learning rather than just looking at the task.

Another big thing is to learn your boundaries. Sometimes people will push themselves too hard just to get a good grade in a hard class. Even though it’s good to push yourself, it shouldn’t be at the risk of your mental health. People need to be able to balance their lives and not get too stressed out about a grade in a specific class.

An article from Keystone Sports says, “If you’re feeling overwhelmed, talk to teammates who have experienced similar challenges for advice and encouragement.” Many student athletes learn to be independent so much that they don’t ask for help when they need it most. Utilizing resources that your school and sports have to offer can help you succeed in being a student athlete. At Cathedral, we do have therapists and counselors for those that are struggling mentally. We also have the Writing and Math center after school for those that have questions for their classes.

Having good time management will not only help a student succeed in high school but also in their future. Every small step towards being more productive and focused can help shape your future and will make students realize how valuable time is. Using these tips, you can perform your best without feeling anxious or overly stressed.