Organized Success by Mikaela

Organized Success by Mikaela - March 2019 Scholarship Essay

If I were to give advice to the incoming Freshmen class, I would tell them:
“High school is everything that you can and can not expect. Everything that people see in the movies and that people hear about from the older students, can be true. To be able to attack unexpected situations and make sure that you are prepared for whatever comes your way you will need to be organized.
“Staying organized does not necessarily mean being the top student in your class, but it will help you stay productive and successful. You need to be able to differentiate what personal life is versus school life versus work life. That way you can accomplish all of the goals that you need and want to. If you are organized, then you can also expect the unexpected because you are prepared for what you do on a regular basis and you can be prepared for is not expected. You can fit the unexpected things into your life and not have them fully disrupt your schedule.
“If you stay organized then you can easily tackle time management and be able prioritize all your tasks. If you are organized you are more likely to pass your classes and get the grades that you want in all of those classes. Being organized helps make sure that you can hang out with friends and not have to worry about homework all the time. Staying organized means that you could be involved in as many activities as you want. As an example, I had to manage my time my Freshmen year in high school where I could accomplish receiving the highest marks in my classes, navigating my first year on the Varsity cheer squad, participating as lead in the school play, and be an active participant in my school’s Associated Student Body. I was successfully able to accomplish everything because I was highly organized.
“Organization is not an easy task to handle at first, so it will take some time. Keeping a planner is a great way to stay organized. I recommend using a planner, I use one myself. Whether it be the one that the school provides or that it is one that you can go buy, you should get one. Making lists are also another great way to stay organized. It helps to lay out what you have to do throughout the day and throughout the week. It also feels good when you can check things off of a list one at a time. I also use both of these and my mind is stress free after using these tactics.
“Organization will help you many ways, such as passing your classes or being involved in school sports. This is not just a skill that you will want to have in high school though, it is also a skill that you will want throughout your entire life.”