Balancing school life with extracurricular activities is a challenge for many students.

Eliza Doxey, a student at Timpview, leads as an example by excelling in both academic and extracurricular life. I talked to Eliza about her effort to balance school and social life and why she seeks to stay busy.  Throughout this article, Eliza gives resourceful advice for upcoming and present high school students to stay consistently busy.

Doxey represents the senior class by contributing as the Student Body President, Varsity soccer player, AP French Scholar, and an all-around positive student. Doxey plans to pursue a career in nursing while signing Salt Lake City Community College to play soccer.

Doxey has a lot going on in her daily life and she’s able to succeed in each arena. This raises the question: why does she seek to stay busy?

“I honestly think it’s easier to stay busy than to not, for example, I play soccer, take college classes, and serve in Timpview Student Government. I find it relaxing to participate in these activities as I find a balanced and consistent routine. I’d rather be attending a wide variety of activities than going home and just working on homework.”

When asked how she balances academics and extracurriculars, she states, “I have learned to prioritize the importance of understanding what is urgent and what is important to work on, and most importantly, have fun with it.”

Eliza has also had a passion for Soccer from a young age. Eliza stated that soccer has positively impacted her physically, socially, and mentally. Eliza highlighted the idea of ¨learning the value of hard work¨ in soccer. Finding a community, she says, helps her feel like she can continue to grow. (The takeaway might be, then, that learning and growth don’t happen in a silo– it happens in communities, and it happens with friends, and it doesn’t have to feel challenging.)

So, looking at her body of work, you might feel overwhelmed. How can I take on my aspirations that seem to loom over me, and make them manageable? How can I get where I want to go?

Eliza offers some really actionable advice to begin with.

“Google Calendar, Planner. Prioritize urgent and important lists.”

She also says that she “makes sure to eliminate distractions and makes the most of the time between studying.”

One of the major ways Eliza got ahead and remains ahead is by participating in Concurrent Enrollment courses, which she highly recommends. Concurrent Enrollment has many benefits such as college credit in high school, cheaper tuition, and teachers who invite students to learn a variety of topics in a clear and concise way.

Eliza models that it’s the small steps that lead to covering long distances. But there’s more to goal-setting and self-measured success than organization.

Can you share any tips or advice for other high school students who aim to maintain a successful balance between academics and extracurricular activities?

“Remember what’s most important to you, put that first. Prioritize. Secondly, have fun with it. Third, just do your best. Eliminate distractions and make the most of the time between activities.”

This is the philosophy behind her success, that drives her to be fulfilled– busy, but content.

Timpview’s Student Government has been a beneficial learning experience for Doxey. She states, ¨I found what’s required to be a leader: learning to be confident, paying attention to the peers around you, and finding the skills to work together. That’s how you make an impact.¨ One thing that stood out to her about participating in Student Government was Timpview’s ¨Sub-4-Santa¨ program, which consists of collecting monetary donations from local businesses, presents, goods, services, and clothes for those who are in need. ¨Each member of Student Government had a different job, It was awesome to be a part of an impactful program and see my community come together to do good.¨

Eliza is content– and as a role model, there is clear value in taking on overwhelming challenges as a team. It might be difficult, but the sense of satisfaction in seeing a challenge overcome is incomparable to anything else.