Angel has left the halls of Lake Mary, but he left his mark. I just remember him as a cool guy and wanted to see how he’s doing post graduation. So I decided to catch up with him and ask for some help on how I can make this my most successful school year yet.

This is my junior year at LMHS and I just recently got a job and have been struggling to keep balance with the different aspects of my life. I know that lots of other students are having to get jobs and start balancing different responsibilities as well so I thought to seek advice from the most successful student I know. I prompted Angel with questions about work, school, social life, and maintaining relationships with friends and family. 

In Angel’s words:“Maintaining a healthy life balance during high school is easier said than done. These four years will be the most self-defining moments of your life. Constantly keeping your grades, relationships, responsibilities, and mental health at homeostasis can be the most significant stress producer when not done correctly. Luckily, a single skill will boost your ability to perform in all these areas. Time Management. Time is the only thing you can’t buy; Therefore, it is of the essence. Learning to manage your time in the most efficient yet effective way possible is critical to a successful four years leading into your future. If that means putting distractions out of reach so you can entirely focus, so be it. You can’t repeat these years.  So, wasting them fooling around is only doing a disservice to yourself. That being said, this doesn’t mean you can’t have fun. It does mean you need to set boundaries and limitations. But that’s not possible without self-respect. So, take a look in the mirror, and make the right decision. Don’t sit around waiting for someone else to put food on your plate!”