By Ally Caho
Round Table reporter

After waking up at 6:30 a.m., she gets dressed and ready, grabs her stuff, and is out the door by 7.   For hours on end, she sits in a chair having to absorb as much information as possible while waiting for the 2:15 p.m. bell to ring.  As soon as that bell rings, she heads out to practice, then work or play rehearsal, while at the same time trying not to focus on the hour of studying waiting for her at home. Finally, when she arrives home, she grabs a small bite to eat and crams in as much writing, reading, calculating, and studying that is humanly possible into her brain, and then crashes. It’s just a repeat from there until the school year is over.

 Whether its out of enjoyment, because of parental pressure, or the need to fill out a college application, many students partake in a variety of activities, which can lead to overload.

 With full schedules it is hard for students to make time for studying, family and other important activities, such as eating and sleeping. Students are finding that there simply aren’t enough hours in a day.

 “All the activities I do consume so much of my time, everything just adds up and takes away any free time,” said Middletown High School junior Matt Sweeney.

 Why is it that students overload themselves so much? Is it for pure enjoyment or is it used as a way to get into a college? Is it preview of the future?

 “I tend to fill my plate with responsibilities,” MHS senior Tayler Corcoran said. “I really just like being involved in the community and I have trouble saying no to people.”

 With so many after-school activities and difficult classes, it is almost impossible to get all the work done and get to bed at an appropriate hour on a school night. After coming home from school, having to go a bunch of appointments, then finally returning home, there is still homework to be completed for the next exhausting day.

 This tends to lead to horrible sleeping patterns filled with tired days.

 “Since most of my classes require focus and completion of homework I end up getting little sleep during the week, and over sleeping on weekends, it can’t be good for me,” MHS sophomore Amy Hoffman said.

 The busy lifestyle of students affects not only their sleeping patterns but their eating habits, as well. Since students’ schedules are filled with activities, it makes it hard to fit in a real sit-down meal. Breakfasts, lunches, and dinners are affected by a busy schedule. Some students come home late, after the rest of their family has already eaten dinner; these students often settle for leftovers or unhealthy snack foods.

 “Due to my exhausting schedule, I go to bed later, which makes it so I get up later. I don’t eat breakfast in the morning anymore,” said MHS sophomore Maisy Paxton.

 Students who wake up late also have less time to prepare in the morning.

 Although many students may feel stressed and overwhelmed with their packed schedules, they will admit that these activities are what make them happy. Students say that even if they are busy, they are usually doing things they love.