High school students lives revolve around which assignment is due, or how they did on a test, or who’s going to ask them to homecoming. But what do high school students do on their freetime?

High school life can be hard, but how do students balance their school work from their freetime activities? And are they beneficial for the student? In a Wallace Foundation study named “What Kids Do When They’re Not in School- All Work And No Play?” it says students prefer to come home from school and just relax, and focus on homework, friends, and family. Also, more than 8 out of 10 (85%) students who are involved in a club or sport believe they are better off than the (11%) of students that say that going home and relaxing is better for them.

But others like to have a whole day ahead of them with sport or club or work responsibilities. Sophie Patterson says, “I like to ride horses because it takes my mind off of school, but when I get home I get my homework out right away. Being a High School student is hard, because we have so many things on our mind. It’s all kind of a rush in my opinion. Mixing classes with relationships, sports, clubs, or even maintaining a healthy relationship with my friends, it’s all very complicated, but it is doable.”

Sophie’s says an average day consists of waking up at 6:00, where she gives herself half an hour to get ready for school. Then she says she goes through her normal classes. After school, she said she likes to eat a snack, check her phone, and hangout with her family. Then she gets ready to go to the horse barn. She does an hour or training, and some work around the barn every now and then. After the barn she likes to come home, eat dinner, talk to friends, and then it’s homework time.

She feels homework can be a struggle sometimes from her “highly eventful day,” so she is tired, and run down. She finishes her homework and then goes to bed. She feels there is too much stress in her life. Sophie said she doesn’t get to bed until late, so she is constantly sleep deprived. She worries that not getting enough sleep and constantly being stressed might be affecting the way she performs in school, and how she could probably be doing better.

Sophie said how she can put up with all the pressure and extra activities, she says she feels like it is healthy to have such an intense schedule because it will help her cope with the real world outside of high school.