Emma Clausen and Kayla Hartsig, Lake Shore High Schools 11th-grade students who juggle it all. Unlike other students may feel, these girls have their eyes on the future and making sure they are prepared, but with that comes a packed schedule.

These two girls have a few things in common, they partake in ECC (Early College Macomb), take AP classes, have after-school jobs, partake in sports, as well as both making a comeback from an ACL tear. Dealing with all this while still finding time for homework and quality time with friends and family. 

A number of Shorians have been taking charge of their education at Lake Shore High School. Lake Shore allows students to take Macomb College classes, AP Courses, CTE classes, and much more to get ahead on their high school education. These courses allow Shorians to take classes to advance their education and see what life after high school will be like. With these opportunities, sports, and home lives, schedules can get pretty jam-packed.  

Emma Clausen, junior, said, “Being a junior and taking college classes at Macomb while also doing AP language at the high school on top of having a part time job and extracurriculars feels like a lot sometimes. It can be overwhelming to look at all the things I need to complete. For me, at the end of each school week, I think of what I have coming up the incoming week and how I can allocate my time accordingly.”

Clausen also says, ¨The hardest part of this is prioritizing time management, and making time to take care of yourself. A lot of the time people get burnt out, so it is very necessary to take breaks.” 

Mental health is a big obstacle to become aware of in these situations, it can become overwhelming. For this it is needed to have an understanding with yourself that breaks are needed for the good and not to slow you down. 

Many students struggle with how they approach the work they have from just the classic classes, getting information on the helpfulness of time management being a key to part of the success is a tip many can take from. 

Kayla Hartsig, junior, said, “As well as my work for my three high school classes, I am juggling assignments for 3 additional college courses. I have had a part time job for about two years now and It has become a part of my weekly routine and schedule. I have been a dancer since I was three years old.” Adding to that, “The thing that is new to the schedule is the physical therapy appointments. I was required to have surgery on my knee due to a torn ACL. I have set myself up for appointments two days a week on the same days at the same time.”

When planning ahead most don’t plan for a different outcome, because with that come changes. Having to readjust your schedule is what can feel like an altar to your life. These girls never planned on this major stump in their daily lives affecting already made everyday plans. 

Along with the academic and outside business these two girls have going on within the past year, they have both tore and had surgery to fix their ACL adding another task to their agenda.

Being unsure about your future is no excuse to not get ahead for it, these girls show that though there are some struggles to this, it is possible and it is helpful.