it’s about Time
Head of the Class
by Rosie Molinary photography by Jamie Cowles
Ben Anderson juggles a full schedule of work, play and life Hough High School Senior Class President Ben Anderson.
OCTOBER 2019
24 LAKE NORMAN CURRENTS
S
oon the Hough High School Huskies will celebrate Homecoming. For most students, the festivities will be a welcome a departure from more ordinary days. For Ben Anderson, it will be the culmination of months of brainstorming, planning, and execution. “I really like feeling involved, and I pride myself on being busy. That is just how I have always been. I like to have something to do,” says Anderson, 17, who serves as the Senior Class President at Hough while also helping to lead several other organizations. With all of his commitments, including a job at The Pines at Davidson, Anderson has had to learn how to manage his time and responsibilities in order to be successful. “I really like to do well. I like to meet expectations and
surpass them,” he explains. While he knows that getting involved in extra-curriculars as a freshman and watching older students execute projects gave him a good sense of how to manage things when it was his turn, he’s also learned from his own experience. “Going to high school as a freshman was a big step because there is a lot of freedom. It’s preparing you for college and the real world,” says Anderson. “A lot of my time management process has come from experience. There was a time when I would go home between a play rehearsal and work in order to change and, after doing it once or twice, I realized that I could take my work clothes with me to school, change there, and then be a couple minutes early to work.” On a typical day, Anderson sets a few alarms to make sure he’s up in time to leave
for school by 6:45 a.m. After his 2:15 p.m. dismissal, he typically stays at school for a club meeting, play rehearsal or to meet with teachers. If he’s working that day, he’ll head straight to The Pines and then return home by 9 p.m. to start his homework. If he’s off, he’ll enjoy some downtime at home before pulling out his books. “For me, it’s important to have a little bit of time to wind down. When I do get started on my work, I like to lay out all the things I have to do in front of me. As I get it completed, I put that notebook away. I am cleaning off my desk as I am completing the task,” he explains. With his busy schedule, Anderson has to carefully gauge invitations, responsibilities, and priorities like spending time with his family and friends. “I decide what to say yes to depending on how rare the
occasion is. If it’s my friend’s birthday dinner, I would definitely go do that, but if my friends are going to the park for a little while, it is something I could potentially say no to if I have other responsibilities at that time because I am not going to hurt anyone’s feelings or it’s not like that won’t happen again,” says Anderson. Though he’s managing a lot, Anderson prioritizes taking care of himself. “You need to have a little me time to unwind. It is something that I learned from my parents and also from being aware of mental health. From experience, there have been days where I haven’t had that time for myself and it’s not quite as great of a day as it could be.”
Time Tellers How do you eliminate distractions? I use social media less than the average person. What is more important to you today than 2 years ago? The search for college and career readiness. What tools are essential to managing your life? I have a calendar, but I like to use sticky notes with dates. What is your go-to time management/ productivity recommendation? Definitely having a to do list that has dates on it and taking “me” time.