Ever since I was a little girl, my mother has placed me in every curricular activity there is. I started taking dance at the age of two years old, then at the age of eight I began piano lessons and voice lessons. At the age of eleven I began taking violin lessons and harp lessons. Along with the my music activities, I was also very active in school and church activities. I was involved in the National Honor Society, National Music Honor Society, Latin Club, Key Club, Show Choir, Dance Ensemble, the high school plays and I was an Ambassador for our school, church youth group and choir. Seeing as I was always busy, time management was a must. I had a strict schedule growing up, but the schedule was planned and enforced by me and me alone. My mother was very supportive of my goals I had set for myself, but she wanted me to become independent, therefore she allowed me to do many things on my own.
Up until the ninth grade, I really did not have much of a life. I did not have many friends, therefore I never had anywhere to go on the weekends. I was not up to date on all the technological things, such as cell phones, myspace or facebook. Towards the end of high school, in about tenth grade, is when EVERYTHING changed. I really found that staying focused on my studies as well as my music would be somewhat more challenging. As soon as I received my cellphone I quickly became a professional texter, and as soon as I set up my facebook account, I became a professional at that also. Now being here at Converse, I really have many people here to even keep an eye on me, to even ask how my lessons are going, and I do not have to report to any parents, therefore everything is on me. When a girl like me has that much responsibility, you would think I would be able to handle it, but it has been VERY hard for me to keep my focus, due to the fact there is a good amount of work and so many extra things to participate in. It can be somewhat overwhelming, to the point I feel like I can not complete it all so I just do not even try.
Two concepts:
ReplyDelete1. Set up No-texting/No-FB hours in your day, when you can't use either unless it's absolutely necessary. And be very strict with yourself as to what constitutes "absolutely necessary."
2. Remember that you don't have to entertain all of your interests RIGHT NOW. Perhaps you need to put down some of your activities for a few years with the intent of picking them back up again at a later date. I LOVED being an organist/choir director when I was in grad school, but I just haven't had the time for it since. So I sub when I can and figure I'll get back to it at some later point in my life. Gives me something to look forward to!