Staying Ahead of a Busy High School Life

Students

January 18, 2013

By Zachary J. Nine
Pinconning junior

At times, trying to get through a day of high school can be tough – let alone surviving four entire years!

With a long list of various activities going on at once, sometimes high school students may find themselves buried under homework, sports, friends, a relationship, a job and family. How is a person supposed to balance all of that at one time? What’s the secret?

Well, there is none.

However, there are a number of things a student can do to maximize his or her success and get the most out of those four glorious years we call high school. As for me, I know how a stressful schedule can feel. I run varsity cross country and track, I’m the drum major of my band, and I’m a pep band member. I also am the vice-president of our executive student council, a member of the Congressional Youth Leadership Council, a member of National Honor Society, and, obviously, a member of the MHSAA Student Advisory Council. I’m also involved with our school’s Mock Trial team. Not to mention (humbly), I’m ranked number one in my class by grade-point average and currently work at McDonalds. In my free time, I have recently taken up a role as a chemistry tutor as well.

And so, the point is that these tips work, tried and true, and they just may work for you!

1. Stay active

“Success usually comes to those who are too busy to be looking for it.” - Henry David Thoreau

Ever notice how the really busy, active students who help out all of the time and volunteer constantly are not the ones getting into trouble? That is because they are simply too busy. A person doing illegal and questionable things has WAY too much time on his or her hands. Being bored can sometimes lead to trouble.

Not only that, but who knows what kinds of things a person will enjoy without actually trying them? Maybe you decide to join Mock Trial and it inspires you to be a lawyer. Get out there and try something new! Broaden your horizons! The more groups and clubs you are a part of, the more attractive your resumes will be for colleges and jobs as well.

2. Organize

"First comes thought; then organization of that thought into ideas and plans; then transformation of those plans into reality.” - Napoleon Hill

If you are already as busy as you can possibly be, or at least as busy as you’d like to be, the next step to success would be to organize. Everything.

Your locker at school, your room, your car, and even your weekly plans should be organized and cleaned up. Organization leads to efficiency, which can help you get through a busy week. It also will help ease some of the stress by preventing you from losing things all of the time or misplacing important items. A clean environment will lead to a clean state of mind, and an organized world will help you save just a little bit of much-needed time.

To help get you started, I recommend a planner of some type. I personally use my phone, so I have it all the time, but a traditional paper planner is just as good. Writing down important dates will help you organize a busy schedule and is a good way to gently remind you of what is going on in the week coming up.

3. Prioritize

“The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.” - Stephen Covey

After organization should be prioritization. Time management is crucial and vital to success in high school. Homework, friends, family, girlfriends/boyfriends, jobs, sports… it seems as though the list may never end, which is why it is important to put first things first.

Which is more important: Going to that really super cool party on Friday night or writing that essay that’s due in English class? Of course it’s the latter, although it may not seem like the “coolest” choice. However, “you” time is still very important and should be prioritized as well. I typically play a video game for about an hour after school everyday. This helps me wind down from very long days and gives me a break from schoolwork and household chores.

When two events are vying for your time and you experience role conflict, it’s best to take a step back and look at the big picture. You should figure out which role will help you out the most in the future (in the above example, the role of student), and then fulfill that role first. Prioritize your most important roles, and don’t worry about the small stuff.

4. Be a hard worker

“Success is the result of perfection, hard work, learning from failure, loyalty, and persistence”. - Colin Powell

As a member of many, many groups, I see a wide variety of people. Student Council is a great example of this. I see members who want to help with every single event and constantly are showing up to every volunteer opportunity they can. I also observe members who sit in the back row during every meeting, usually do not say a word, and show up only to events they absolutely have to attend.

Do NOT be one of those people. It’s clear to us why they’re there: for resume building, of course. But by doing that, they take away a spot from someone who actually might have helped the group a lot. It’s wrong. If you join a club or group, engage in its various activities. You may find it’s a lot of fun, and new bonds of friendship can be forged.

This rule applies to academics as well. I know some people who keep their grades up just enough to be eligible to play sports. That’s fine, if you plan on being a Michael Jordan and playing into college and beyond. But for most, high school is going to end eventually, and after high school, not a single college or place of employment is going to care how many touchdowns you scored in a high school football game.

5. Make positive, constructive decisions

“Chains of habit are too light to be felt until they are too heavy to be broken.” - Warren Buffett

My final tip for success in high school may be the most important: Be you.

As we go through high school, there will be a plethora of people trying to tell you how to be “you.” Advertisements bombard our minds with what new clothes to wear and products to use. Maybe your friends are trying to change you, or your siblings are pushing you to do what they think is right for you. But this is your life. You are the one who has to live with the benefits and consequences of your decisions. As you go through high school, take heed that for every decision you make, there will be consequences, both good and bad. If you do make a tough choice and it turns out wrong, do not go running around looking for people to blame. Point to yourself, and take responsibility for your actions.

In addition, keep in mind that people are always watching you. For every action you take, there is at least one person who witnesses it and forms an opinion about you. Plus, the choices you start to make now are going to carry throughout your life. What I mean is that if you get into the habit of studying now, while you’re in high school, studying in college will be easier. Think about the types of decisions you are making now, and then ask yourself how you can, or if you should, continue making those same decisions in the future.

In conclusion, there are many things to keep in mind as you experience day after day of high school. It’s important to remember that every action we make may have unforeseen consequences! And don’t forget: Go out and try something new, organize, prioritize, work hard, and make positive decisions.

I’m not saying that my way of doing things is better than the other guy's. But these tips have helped me out, and I hope they do the same for you. Thank you for reading, and have a great year!

Zachary Nine, Pinconning junior

Sports: Cross country, track and field
Non-sports activities: Student Council, band, National Honor Society, Congressional Youth Leadership Council, Mock Trial, tutoring, job
Favorite class: Sociology and Psychology
Up next: I'm working toward attending West Point and studying something in the sciences.
Pump-up jams: "I'm Not Afraid" and "Lose Yourself" by Eminem
Must-see TV: "House"
Favorite film: "The Avengers"

PHOTO: Pinconning's Zachary Nine leads his marching band as its drum major during a parade. (Photo courtesy of Zachary Nine.)

And the 2018 BOTF Winner is ...

February 23, 2018

By Geoff Kimmerly
Second Half editor

Neighbors present and past filled Buchanan’s gym a week ago to celebrate the 40^th anniversary of the school’s 1978 Class C boys basketball championship.

In their midst, another champion built its case to make the community proud once again.

Buchanan's "Herd" is our Battle of the Fans VII champion, adding to its BOTF II title and adding another point of pride for a community that turns out big to support its school, and vice versa.

"This all couldn't have been possible without our community, the support of our teachers and staff," Buchanan senior Jessica Lee said. "The businesses put 'Good Luck to The Herd' (on their windows). Just the whole town supported us. We both represent each other in a way."

Buchanan will accept its Battle of the Fans VII championship banner during halftime of the first Class B Boys Basketball Semifinal on March 23 at Michigan State University’s Breslin Center. Boyne City and Petoskey also have been invited to Breslin to be honored for this season’s achievement.

Buchanan was chosen based on a vote by the MHSAA’s 16-member Student Advisory Council influenced by public vote on the MHSAA’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram sites. A total of 9,309 social media votes were received, with those results then equated against a school’s enrollment. This year’s results came out to 5.2 votes cast for every student attending one of our finalist schools – the second-highest average in Battle of the Fans history.

The Council based its vote on the following criteria: positive sportsmanship, student body participation, school spirit, originality of cheers, organization of the group, section leadership and overall fun. New this year, nine semifinalists were selected from the original application group before Boyne City, Buchanan and Petoskey were chosen for MHSAA visits. Cedar Springs, Charlotte, Munising, Negaunee, Pellston and Traverse City West also were among semifinalists.

Buchanan totaled the most public social media support, finishing first across all five ways votes were accepted (Facebook likes and shares, Twitter re-tweets and likes and Instagram likes). Votes were scaled to take into account a school’s size – Class B Buchanan's were worth more than Class A Petoskey's, for example – but The Herd also received the most social media votes total.

Other numbers to consider from this season's contest: The application videos have been watched more than 15,600 times, and the MHSAA-produced videos from our tour stops have more than 2,100 views. The stories detailing the three tour stops plus Tuesday’s explanation of how to vote and the announcements of semifinalists and finalists had been viewed 6,600 times as of 8:30 this morning. The three Snapchat stories covering our visits were viewed nearly 6,000 times combined.

This year’s expanded Battle of the Fans gave us an increased opportunity to see more of our state’s best student sections in action not only longer, but at more levels beginning with organization and planning all the way through execution of some incredible efforts all over our state. Our finalists tour then provided a chance to visit three sections we’ve come to know well – and to see how those sections have grown in their energies and efforts to support their schools and classmates the right way.

Below are our final takeaways from each of those trips.

Authenticity Award: Boyne City

What we saw: This was the second straight year we visited Boyne City for Battle of the Fans, and we were blown away again not just in the promotion by the student-centered Rambler Sports Network leading up to our visit, but by the production of all facets of a game night done right by the Rambler Rowdies and their all-star leaders. It’s impossible to talk about Boyne City’s section and not immediately bring up Captain Rowdy, the inflatable giant mascot funded and purchased by the student section before the start of this school year. As one of the Rowdies leaders said during our pregame meeting, the opportunities to enjoy the new superhero’s antics are endless – and the upside-down head-bouncing Captain Rowdy dance was one of the highlights of this year’s contest. But so too was seeing a few hundred students – from a school with only a few more than 400 – filling the stands to support their boys basketball team from tip-off through the final buzzer.

Why we’re fans: If we’ve learned nothing else from two trips to Boyne City, it’s this – the togetherness and support showed by this student body is absolutely authentic and genuine. What student leaders have accomplished over just a few years is truly amazing, and not at all an act – the Rambler Rowdies love being there and having a blast, down to the band members who asked if they could be part of the cheering section instead of playing during basketball games this season. We’ll surely use as a teachable moment the way the Rambler Rowdies’ leaders took their show on the road to teach younger students in their community how to cheer with the high schoolers. Outstanding seniors who have played a big part are graduating, so we’re eager to see what’s next – but we have a feeling the section will be in great hands.

Model Leadership Award: Petoskey

What we saw: This also was the second straight year we visited Petoskey, and this section again prides itself on cheering for its teams and doing whatever it can to will them to be successful. The Blue Crew is loud – and on the night we visited, this was especially impressive because while the stands were packed for boys basketball, another section of students cheered on the hockey team during a cancer benefit game in honor of a classmate. (That effort wasn’t lost on the basketball fans – they did a fundraiser at their game as well to contribute.) The Blue Crew played out its safari theme to the fullest, and arguably no section in Michigan this year is playing the theme game at a higher level. There’s no question it’s a lot of fun to be part of this section and the fun it comes up with throughout the year.

Why we’re fans: There is a great sense of community surrounding Petoskey athletics, and a lot of it stems from the Blue Crew and the wide variety of leaders who have brought this section roaring back over the last two years. We meet with section leaders before game time during our finalists visits, and the last two years Petoskey’s “crew” has included representatives with ties to a variety of sports and other extracurricular and social groups within the school who come together for common good. New this year was a “rules and guidelines sheet” to guide the leadership as it made decisions, and that will get passed on as new leaders already are being identified. This section truly has been student-built from the ground up, and we can’t say enough about how that work impressed us again.

Battle of the Fans champion: Buchanan

What we saw: A lot of what we expected after three previous stops in “The Woods” – a large group of students occupying one full corner of the gym, chanting and singing and dancing and having just a great time. But hearing leaders tell us beforehand of the section’s “renaissance” this school year gave us a clearer picture of just how much The Herd continues to be immersed in the Buchanan community as a whole – and how the section has hit another new level in 2017-18.

Why we’re fans: Student cheering sections exist to cheer on school teams, and at its most fundamental The Herd provides a ton of support for a variety of Buchanan sports in the fall and winter (and with plans to do so for the first time this spring). But student cheering sections can exist to create so much more as well – and the teary eyes we saw at the end of last week’s visit told some of that story. Unity among grades, among social groups and among students who may have little other reason to spend time together is an incredible thing to behold – and from The Herd’s lip dub application video through its stories of helping new students find a home at the school and others make friends through the student section that they’d never met before … well, we can understand why they tell everyone “there’s not place we’d rather be.”

"We created something from what was created in years past, and made it something we're all part of," Lee said. "Putting all of our heart into something, seeing it become something so amazing ... of course we're going to support (our teams) through every season; we're going to the girls (basketball) game tonight, soccer season and baseball season. But it's just something that was really special for all of us.

"Of course it's my senior year. But the fact that we won something we've been doing my whole time in the high school and being a leader of it finally ... that's so big to me. You have no idea what this means to our whole town and community."

The Battle of the Fans is sponsored in part by the United Dairy Industry of Michigan.

Check out below our stories and videos behind the finalists. Also, click to see student-produced videos from all sections that entered the contest. (Photos courtesy of the Buchanan yearbook staff.)

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