School takes up a lot of time, and sometimes it can be hard or stressful to try and fit everything in. Between socializing with friends, playing sports, or figuring out a way to get a job, finding time to relax and enjoy life can be a challenge. 

For me, I feel like school is mostly a waste of time, and I would much rather be working long hours. My work involves helping people, learning different things, getting experience, and also getting paid whereas school feels unproductive and boring. I prioritize my work over school anytime, because I care about it more. I can get caught back up with school work when I am gone, and my grade doesn’t get affected. Working, going to school, and doing a sport all in the same day is tiring. But for me, there is not really another option considering the way I choose to live. I go to school, I do the work, I get the grade, but I also take time off of school to go on vacation, and do stuff that I enjoy doing. When I have a well-built schedule, things roll smoothly, and sometimes I feel more energized at the end when I am busy, rather than when I don’t do much at all. 

Other people prioritize school, and that’s all they do. 

“I want a job, but I also have an almost full schedule and I want to raise my GPA so I want to take more classes,” junior Ellie Ochs said. “But I can’t really have a job if I want to have a full schedule.” Sometimes, it feels as though students cannot do anything other than school without getting burnt out, even though it has been proven that clubs, sports, and other interests are very valuable to a student’s education.

Participating in extracurricular activities offers many benefits to students. It can allow them to apply lessons learned in the classroom and academic skills in a real-life setting. Research done by the National Center for Education Statistics shows that students who do partake in these activities have more engagement and attachment to their education, thus decreasing the chances of school failure and dropouts. Overall this leads to a more successful education and school life.

However, some feel like participating in other clubs or extracurriculars is just too exhausting. 

“I find myself getting really tired after school, and just not wanting to do other things,”

Ochs said. “I also really prioritize my personal time. If I do not have a couple of hours at home, I freak out. If I can’t take care of myself properly, and I get home, I’m exhausted and I can’t even wash my face, that’s when I know I’ve really hit rock bottom.”  

The connection between extracurriculars and higher education has also been shown. A study at Ohio State University shows that students who do participate in a sport and also partake in another non-sport activity are more likely to go to college than those who do not. 

Other students simply just don’t care enough to let it affect their enjoyment in life. 

“I don’t care a whole lot about my grades but I choose to ignore it and I think I have a lot of fun in life,” junior Kaden Lang said. “Even if I don’t go to class all the time, or do my homework, I still feel good about myself. I feel happy with my life and I feel fulfilled. I never feel down about how I live my life and how I choose to do certain things, so I like to take it day by day and just have fun in the moment.” 

There is a fair balance between both sides, and it is not always easy to find the fine line, But there are things that you can do to help. Creating a schedule, having good time management, and setting goals for yourself will help your overall ability to have fun in life, while also staying on top of your academics. 

By Maddie Wright

Editor’s Note for Perspectives Magazine

The Axe staff has worked hard this year to put together the spring magazine, and we are all so excited for you to be reading it. Following the theme Perspectives, we have explored many different angles of many different subjects.

A magazine allows for so much more depth with a story, and it was amazing to dive into this different style of writing. From longer articles to interesting visuals to a really big crossword, there is something for everyone in here.

A magazine also takes a lot of time, and requires hard work on many fronts. With articles, visuals, editing, layouts – a lot of time has been put into making Perspectives.

Hopefully, this magazine allows you to explore perspectives you may not have come across before.

Happy reading!

Aria Lynn-Skov

Full magazine PDF here: