Busy, Stressed, and Still Going: The Reality of Student Schedules

Between homework, extracurriculars, jobs, and trying to have a social life, it can seem like there aren't enough hours in the day. But just how busy are our students? I sent out a survey, and it revealed some surprising answers. 

"How many extracurricular activities are you involved in?"

How Busy Our Are Students? 

At about 100 respondents, the majority are balancing a large number of responsibilities during the school week. When asked about extracurricular activities, almost half of the students (45.7%) reported being involved in 2-3 activities, while 30.4% participate in 4 or more. Whether it’s Lance Productions, sports, or clubs like Service Club, extracurriculars seem to be ingrained in our school's culture, taking up the majority of students' time. Homework is also another major contributor, with 42.4% saying they spend 1-2 hours per night on homework. In addition to school activities and homework, a little over half (54.3%) are also juggling a job on top of this, adding another time-consuming commitment to their schedule. At first glance, these numbers seem harmless, but when you look at how a typical weeknight might play out, things quickly become crowded. For example, if a student spends an hour at an after-school activity, works from 5:30-10 pm, and then goes home to do homework for an hour, it is already 11 pm. At this point, there is very little time left to relax or take a break while still getting to bed at a healthy time (Of course, this is just an example, and schedules differ largely from student to student). Schedules like these can have major impacts on our health, directly impacting one of the most important things of all, how much sleep we get per night.

"On average, how many hours of sleep do you get on a school night?"

The largest group (38%) said they are only getting around 6-7 hours of sleep on school nights. To support proper health and development, it is recommended that teenagers, ages 13-18, get at least 8-10 hours of sleep. When lacking proper sleep, it can contribute to a variety of symptoms such as hindered focus, higher stress levels, anxiety, and depression. 

I feel like when I'm not at school, I'm doing an activity, and when I'm not at that activity, I'm working, and if I'm not doing one of those things, I'm doing homework. -- North Scott Student

Stress and Free Time

To measure stress levels, students rated how overwhelmed they felt during an average week (1= Not at all, 5= Extremely overwhelmed). 43% percent rated their stress at a level 4, suggesting that many students are overwhelmed regularly.

"On a scale of 1-5, how overwhelmed do you feel during a typical week?"

Due to stressful or overwhelming schedules, almost half (40.9%) have dropped a class or activity just to lighten workloads. Students were also asked on a scale of 1-5 how happy they were with the amount of free time they have. The results showed that only 5.4% said they feel like they have enough free time, while 40.9% said they rarely do.

"Do you feel like you have enough free time?"

Since our school strongly encourages involvement, I also asked students whether they feel pressure to stay busy. A common theme in the responses was college and future expectations, with many students saying they feel a need to build strong resumes through things such as activities or advanced classes. Another thing frequently mentioned was pressures from parents, teachers, peers, etc. Students worry about being seen as lazy or unproductive if they are not constantly busy. Being involved in extracurriculars, work, and academics is highly beneficial; yet these results suggest that many students may be reaching an unhealthy point.

North Scott students are so involved, and I feel like if you aren't, you are looked at as someone who doesn’t do anything. -- North Scott Student

What do students think will help?

Overall, the consistent theme throughout the responses was that many students feel their schedules leave very little room to slow down. When asked what could help with this, the most common suggestions included more in-class time for work, shorter assignments, and greater understanding from teachers of their commitments outside of school. Many students explained that when assignments and/or tests from multiple classes build up at the same time, it becomes difficult to manage everything (extracurriculars, jobs,  family responsibilities, etc.). As a result, several respondents suggested that providing more time during the school day to complete assignments could help reduce evening homework. Others proposed that longer lunch periods or additional breaks throughout the day could also help students manage their schedules. 

If teachers gave us more class time to get things done, it would be a lot easier to manage everything. -- North Scott Student

As stated previously, North Scott students are highly involved. Many students are constantly moving from one responsibility to the next. While staying involved can be rewarding and help prepare students for the future, it also raises an important question about balance. As much as it is important to be well-versed, long-term success also includes taking advantage of rest.