Pick up any supermarket magazine and you will find all sorts of self-help ideas on how to get organized, to how to lose weight. But what kinds of ideas help students get motivated and get their work done?
We interviewed three students to find out how they “got down to business.” You will find strategies that juniors Noreen Webster and Nathan Dollschnieder, as well as sophomore Stephanie Elsperman find successful.

Workspace: Both Dollschnieder and Elsperman said that having a clean workspace was important to them, although Dollschnieder – an AP Art student– admits that the supplies on his drafting table are sometimes messy. Webster, on the other hand, does not even have a defined workspace. “I work on the couch, papers everywhere. It is literally chaos,” Webster said.

Favorite Tool: The students rely on tools to help manage their workload. Elsperman, who is a professional model, said she can’t live without her email, “It’s how I get notified about job opportunities.”
Dollschnieder’s favorite tool that he carries everywhere is the Mirado Papermate Classic. “It’s a pencil, but I bring it everywhere,” Dollschnieder said.
Webster loves her graphing calculator. “It makes me feel smart,” Webster said.

Sleep Habits: Elsperman goes to sleep by 10 or 11pm. However, Webster frequently goes to bed around 12:30am and Dollschnieder said he sometimes stays up until 1:30 or 2:00am. “I have a hard time getting up in the morning,” Dollschnieder said, “I have 8 or 9 alarm clocks, plus my parents.”

Workload: All three of the students interviewed recognize the challenges managing both their schoolwork and their outside interests. “I usually do as much work as I can during the school day, so that I can devote my weekends to art,” Dollschnieder said, “I spend a lot of time planning during the week. Art is very time consuming, so sometimes it can interfere with sports.”
Elsperman occasionally misses class because of modeling jobs. “Teachers are understanding about getting caught up,” Elsperman said. Webster prioritizes her work according to due date. “I always do the assignment with the soonest deadline first,” Webster said.