High school students all know the inevitable dilemma that is having to choose between school and extracurricular activities. Lucky for you, CavsConnect has provided a few ideas regarding such awkward situations, that are also applicable to circumstances dealing with time prioritization. With these few ideas completing multiple activities will come at ease, and the scales will no longer tip one way.

Schedule: Write down events pertaining to your extracurricular activities as well as figure out the amount of time your school work is going to take up. Look for times when the two overlap so that you can plan ahead for these instances. Doing this will help you determine sticky situations in advance, allowing for plenty of preparation time.

“You need to look ahead to make sure that your extracurricular and school activities don’t collide. This way you can avoid times when two activites may conflict beforehand,” freshman Camilo Catasus said.

Talk to Your Teachers or Supervisors: Before any situations arise, make sure to let your teachers and supervisors know you may be unable to attend an event due to the overlapping of commitments. This way, they will not be surprised when you do not show up, and have an adequate amount of time to make alternative arrangements. When planning to miss class or an extracurricular activity, be sure to allow time to discuss any necessary make-up work; this will prevent falling behind in either activity.

Prioritize: It is also important to prioritize when it comes to these types of conflicts. Don’t miss the big test for something small and don’t miss a big meeting for just another day of taking notes that you can get from a friend. Don’t be biased in your opinion either; remember that doing what is more important is only helping you, and choosing which is more important will leave you with less to make up.

Work Ahead: Another great thing to do is to work ahead on one conflicting task so that you save time and effort in the long run. Do not be afraid to get work done earlier so that you can turn it in the day before you are going to be absent. Getting ahead won’t hurt you and can create a more enjoyable environment for you.

“Sometimes I work ahead in school to make use of the extra time. I always bring work from other classes so that I can get things done,” freshman Natalie Viglucci said.

Work Simultaneously: You may be able to get some work done while doing another activity, whether it’s during times when you’re sitting down or even finishing some school work. If you choose to attend class, then try and finish your work promptly to later focus on your extracurricular. Take advantage of open time slots.

Balancing school work and extracurricular activities can be a tough job. Hopefully, you have read some tips that can help you manage both; you don’t have to settle for giving less than your best. Following these tips will help you to create a healthy balance between school and extracurriculars.