At 6:30 AM, senior Emilia Vélez is already awake, preparing for a packed day of classes, tutoring, and homework. But instead of being rushed or stressed, she’s ready. Her secret? A carefully planned schedule and the time management skills she’s built over the years.
As students prepare to begin or go through high school, time management becomes more important than ever. With harder classes, more homework, and more responsibilities, understanding how to manage time can be the difference between stress and success. Seniors like Emilia and Carla Echavarría have had years to learn how to do it all—and now they’re sharing their best advice with younger students.
“Time management allows me to be on top of things and less tired,” commented Carla Echavarria, a senior at TCS. She was like every other student and left work until the last minute in the past. However, as time passed, she found that doing things in advance made her feel more relaxed and productive.
An online calendar is one of the most widely used tools that seniors use. “Google Calendar is great,” said Vélez . “I put all my classes, study sessions, and homework there. I also write them down in a notebook because it helps me remember better.”
Both Carla and Emilia use time blocking and the Pomodoro technique to stay focused. Time blocking is the process of scheduling certain hours for a certain activity, while the Pomodoro technique involves working for 25 minutes and then taking a brief break of approximately 5 minutes. These simple habits can make studying less daunting.
It can be hard to adjust to high school, especially if students are used to a slower lifestyle. “At first, I procrastinated a lot,” said Emilia. “I learned how to write things down and do things ahead of time. Now I don’t have to rush or freak out.”
Carla agreed, saying the biggest mistake she made was thinking she had more time than she really had. “I would get too relaxed and then have to cram everything up,” she said. “Now I realize it’s always better to do things ahead of time, even if they’re not due in a while.”
Planning is necessary—but realism is too. Psychologist and yoga teacher Manuela spoke about building routines around what’s realistically possible. “Students try to fill too many things into their daily routine and then get overwhelmed,” she said. “Start with what can’t be changed, like school, then add other things gradually, like rest, meals, or activities.”
The emotional repercussions of poor time management can be extreme. It can lead to anxiety, low self-esteem, and even physical exhaustion, Manuela said. She encourages students to stop negotiating with themselves when it’s time to do something. “You planned it for a reason—trust yourself and do it,” she said.
Younger students are already feeling the pressure. Elena Ramirez, a 15-year-old ninth-grader, described her schedule as “very disorganized.” Though she does keep an agenda, she finds it hard to stick to it. “I always lose track of time, and then I am not able to do everything that I have to do,” she said.
Ninth grader Sofia Atehortua expressed the same challenges. “There’s a lot of homework, and I’m not great with time-management,” she said. “Sometimes I forget to check my agenda, and I miss things.”
To assist students such as Elena and Sofia, small adjustments in daily habits are recommended by Carla. After viewing a sample schedule from a younger student, she offered advice on how to enhance it: “Do your homework right after school while your brain is still focused, then relax later,” she offered. Getting a minimum of eight hours of sleep is also her advice, because prioritizing your health is a crucial factor here.
So how do seniors balance it all—school, activities, and free time? “I don’t do everything every day,” Carla said. “I have some days where I focus more on school, and others where I leave space to relax or hang out with friends. It’s about prioritizing what that day is most about.”
Emilia said balance isn’t always perfect. “I always leave one night—a Saturday usually—just for myself,” she said. “That way, I won’t burn out.”
Finally, when asked what they would say to younger students, both seniors replied with the same response: start small.
“Time management is a skill you can acquire,” Emilia said. “Just begin by writing down what you need to do and checking your schedule every day.”
“Get into the habit,” Carla said. “The more you do it, the easier it gets.”