Having Intention in High School | Basra Keynan | TEDxYouth@AnnArbor

Summary

The speaker reflects on their high school experience, emphasizing the importance of extracurricular activities for personal growth and college applications. They discuss the pressures of modern education, including the high stakes of college admissions and the impact on students' mental health. The speaker advocates for organization and planning as essential life skills, introducing their personal planning system and the benefits of the bullet journal method. They conclude by encouraging others to find their own organizational style to manage life's demands and foster personal growth.

Takeaways

• 📚 The importance of joining clubs and extracurricular activities during freshman year for making new connections and gaining valuable experiences.
• 🏫 Extracurriculars play a significant role in college applications and can provide essential skills and connections for the future.
• 🔍 The author's personal experience of overcommitting to activities, leading to physical and mental exhaustion, and the subsequent adjustment of their schedule.
• 🌐 A global perspective on students engaging in rigorous academics and extracurriculars while balancing social and personal lives.
• 📈 The high school graduation rate reaching an all-time high, indicating increased competition in higher education and the job market.
• 💰 The financial burden of higher education, with many students graduating with substantial student loan debt.
• 🏛 The corruption and market-driven aspects of the college admissions process, including the involvement of test prep courses and admissions consultants.
• 🤯 The psychological impact of academic pressure on high school students, with increased rates of depression, anxiety, and sleep deprivation.
• 📝 The introduction of a planner as a simple yet effective tool for the author to manage their life and reduce unnecessary pressures.
• 🎨 The concept of organization and planning as learned skills rather than innate traits, with the bullet journal system as a personalized approach to self-care and growth.
• 📈 The author's personal planning system, which involves a brain dump, categorization, prioritization, and the use of daily and weekly planners for effective time management.

Q & A

What was the speaker's first experience with clubs during freshman orientation?

The speaker's first experience was at an activity fair where various clubs and organizations had booths to attract new members. It was a lively scene with many options to explore, from traditional clubs like music and sports to unique opportunities like student-run theater and cultural programs.

Why are extracurricular activities important according to the speaker's counselor?

The speaker's counselor emphasized that extracurricular activities are crucial because they contribute significantly to college applications, providing skills, experiences, and connections that can be beneficial in the future.

How did the speaker's approach to extracurricular activities change after their first semester?

After taking on too many activities and classes in the first semester, leading to long hours at school and lack of sleep, the speaker adjusted their schedule in the following semester to better balance their commitments.

What is the significance of the high school graduation rate mentioned in the script?

The high school graduation rate reaching an all-time high of 84.8 percent signifies that students are taking their education seriously. However, it also indicates increased competition for higher education and the potential for more students to face the challenges of student loan debt.

What is the average student loan debt for university graduates in the U.S., as mentioned in the script?

The average student loan debt for university graduates in the U.S. is $37,172.

How does the speaker describe the college admissions system?

The speaker describes the college admissions system as a business that is not only marketable but also filled with corruption, including test preparation courses, college admissions specialists, and financial aid consultants, which can be quite costly.

What is the connection between the increase in high school students' depression and anxiety and the competitive nature of education?

The script suggests that the competitive nature of education, including the pressure to excel academically and participate in extracurricular activities, may contribute to the reported increase in depression and anxiety among high school students.

What role did the bullet journal system play in the speaker's life?

The bullet journal system played a significant role in the speaker's life by helping them to organize their thoughts, tasks, and goals. It served as a tool for self-care and self-recognition, allowing the speaker to better manage their time and reduce unnecessary pressures.

What is the main principle behind the bullet journal system according to the speaker?

The main principle behind the bullet journal system, as explained by the speaker, is to track the past, order the present, and design the future in a personalized planning system suited to one's needs.

How does the speaker suggest adapting the bullet journal system to one's own mindset and lifestyle?

The speaker suggests adapting the bullet journal system by starting with a brain dump, dividing tasks into broad sections, assigning colors or symbols to differentiate categories, and prioritizing tasks based on urgency and importance. They also recommend starting with daily to-do lists and progressing to weekly or monthly planners as one becomes more comfortable with the system.

Outlines

00:00

📚 Discovering the World of Extracurriculars

The speaker reflects on their freshman year experience at a college activity fair, where they were exposed to a variety of student-run clubs and organizations. They highlight the appeal of these extracurricular activities in making new connections and the importance they later realized for college applications and personal growth. The narrative shifts to the pressure students face to excel academically and the competitive nature of higher education, touching on the high stakes and financial burdens associated with college attendance. The paragraph concludes with a critical view of the college admissions system, including the recent scandal involving fraud in admissions.

05:00

🤯 The Consequences of Academic Pressure

This paragraph delves into the effects of the intense academic pressure faced by high school students, citing statistics on depression, anxiety, sleep deprivation, and rising suicide rates. The speaker discusses the necessity of organization and planning as a coping mechanism, introducing the concept of a planner and how it helped them manage stress and self-imposed expectations. The importance of learning organizational skills is emphasized, drawing parallels to how the brain learns through association, as demonstrated by Pavlov's experiments. The paragraph also touches on the benefits of journaling for memory and communication skills.

10:02

📝 Embracing the Bullet Journal System

The speaker shares their personal journey of adopting the bullet journal system as a means to organize their life more effectively. They describe the initial apprehension due to the artistic nature of bullet journals but eventually embraced the system's core values of self-care and self-recognition. The paragraph outlines the speaker's adaptation of the system to their life as a student, leader, and website creator, focusing on the three Ps: past, present, and future. The speaker encourages others to take time for self-reflection and growth, offering a step-by-step guide on creating a personalized planning system that includes brain dumping, categorizing tasks, and prioritizing them based on urgency and importance.

Keywords

💡Extracurriculars

Extracurriculars refer to activities that students engage in outside of their academic curriculum, such as clubs, sports, and arts programs. In the video, the speaker highlights the importance of extracurriculars for personal development and college applications, noting that they can provide valuable skills and connections. The speaker's experience with signing up for multiple extracurriculars illustrates the potential for overcommitment and the need for balance.

💡Student-run organizations

Student-run organizations are groups managed and operated by students themselves, often offering a range of activities from theater to academic competitions. The script emphasizes the appeal of these organizations as a way for students to take initiative and leadership, which is crucial for personal growth and is exemplified by the speaker's involvement in various clubs during their freshman year.

💡College application process

The college application process involves a series of steps that students must complete to be considered for admission to higher education institutions. The video discusses how extracurricular activities are a significant part of this process, as they can demonstrate a student's interests, skills, and commitment beyond academics. The speaker reflects on how involvement in extracurriculars can shape a student's college application and future.

💡Overcommitment

Overcommitment occurs when an individual takes on more responsibilities or activities than they can reasonably manage. In the context of the video, the speaker describes their experience with overcommitment by enrolling in too many classes and extracurricular activities, leading to long hours at school and a lack of sleep, which underscores the importance of finding a balance in one's schedule.

💡Graduation rates

Graduation rates indicate the percentage of students who complete their high school education within a given timeframe. The script mentions a high graduation rate, suggesting that students are increasingly valuing education and its significance in preparing for post-secondary opportunities, despite the competitive nature of the higher education landscape.

💡Student loan debt

Student loan debt refers to the money borrowed by students to finance their education, which they must repay after graduation. The video script raises the issue of the high levels of debt that U.S. graduates face, questioning the value of a college education and the financial burden it imposes on students and their families.

💡College admissions fraud

College admissions fraud involves dishonest practices to gain admission to colleges or universities, such as cheating on entrance exams or bribing officials. The script references a major college admissions scandal, illustrating the corruption and market-driven aspects of the college admissions process and the lengths some individuals go to secure spots at elite institutions.

💡Depression and anxiety

Depression and anxiety are mental health issues that can affect individuals' mood, thoughts, and overall well-being. The video cites a study indicating that a significant percentage of high school students view these conditions as a major problem, suggesting the pressures of academic and social life can have serious emotional consequences.

💡Organization and planning skills

Organization and planning skills involve the ability to manage time, tasks, and resources effectively. The speaker in the video advocates for these skills as essential for both academic success and personal well-being, sharing their personal journey of using a planner to manage their commitments and reduce unnecessary pressures.

💡Bullet journal system

The bullet journal system is a customizable organization method created by Ryder Carroll, which involves tracking the past, ordering the present, and planning for the future through a notebook. The script describes the speaker's adoption of this system to improve their life organization, self-care, and intentional growth, despite initial reservations about its artistic requirements.

💡Intention and growth

Intention and growth refer to the deliberate effort to develop and improve oneself, whether in personal habits, academic pursuits, or life goals. The video emphasizes the importance of having an intention to grow, as demonstrated by the speaker's use of a planner and bullet journal system, which serves as a tool for self-reflection and personal development.

Highlights

The importance of joining clubs and extracurriculars during freshman year for making new connections and personal growth.

The variety of student-run organizations available at the activity fair, including theater, academic competitions, and cultural programs.

The realization that extracurriculars play a significant role in college applications and future career prospects.

The overwhelming schedule of a student juggling seven classes and six extracurriculars, leading to physical and mental stress.

The necessity of adjusting one's schedule to maintain a healthy balance between academics, extracurriculars, and personal life.

The high graduation rates in public high schools and the increased competitiveness of higher education.

The financial burden and sacrifice associated with attending college or university in the U.S., including student loan debt.

The average net worth of recent college graduates being negative, highlighting the financial challenges faced by graduates.

The corruption and marketable aspects of the college admissions system, including test preparation courses and admissions specialists.

The recent college admissions fraud case involving payments to secure spots at elite schools.

The societal value placed on education and the consequences of an education system that is locked behind financial barriers.

The effects of the education system on students' mental health, including increased depression, anxiety, and suicide rates.

The introduction of a planner as a simple yet effective tool for organization and stress reduction in a student's life.

The concept of organization and planning as learned skills rather than innate traits, with personalization being key.

The benefits of journaling for memory, communication, and reflective skills, and its connection to organization.

The bullet journal system as a personalized planning method that promotes self-care and self-recognition.

Adapting the bullet journal system to fit one's mindset as a student, leader, and creator.

The three P's approach to planning: taking time for oneself as an investment in growth and intention.

The importance of dividing tasks into general sections and prioritizing them based on urgency and importance.

The process of creating a daily to-do list and gradually moving to weekly or monthly planning for better organization.

The speaker's personal planning system and the invitation to learn more through their website and Instagram.

The final message emphasizing the importance of intention and growth in personal planning and life organization.

Transcripts

[Music]

one of the first things I did my

freshman year was sign up for clubs at

the end of my freshman orientation there

was an activity fair so after an early

morning some questionable experiences

and new people back tivity fara was a

breath of fresh air walking into the

library it was a busy scene the room was

lined with booths and students doing

demos speeches basically anything to get

your name down at their station I was

amazed by all the different things that

I could try there were the classics like

music sports and student government but

there were things I never knew about

entertaining people in a student-run

theater program testing my intelligence

and academic competition or even

immersing myself in the many cultural

programs the greatest appeal is that

these were all student-run organizations

going into this orientation I knew that

clubs and extracurriculars were a great

way to make new connections especially

starting at a new school with more

people than I've ever been used to so

that day I signed up for a couple clubs

I didn't know then how important

extracurriculars were in the long-term

of my future and tied my first meeting

with my counselor a couple of months

later I learned the extracurriculars are

a huge part of my college applications

and that they can provide skills

experiences and connections that can be

useful in my future I can say that this

is pretty true for me as a senior who's

been through the college application

process but as someone who's been

through a job application process I've

met people who've revolved their entire

college application and major around

things that they did in high school so

when I heard this from my counselor I

took it pretty literally so in my first

semester of high school I took seven

different classes and six different

extracurriculars including an instrument

and a sport well looking at the schedule

now I do not know what I was thinking

because of how far I lived from my

school I ended up staying at school

between nine and thirteen hours a day

four days a week for a couple of months

physically I wasn't getting as much

sleep because I was

inflating the work I needed to do once I

got home mentally I was gaining

resentment not only towards the things

that I needed to do but towards the

things that I love to do in my next

semester I quickly adjusted my schedule

but I'm not the only student who does

this students all over the world are

engaging in rigorous classes

extracurriculars while keeping up social

and personal lives we learned that these

aspects contribute to a successful high

school career but why why are students

filling up their plates so much why are

students pushing themselves into a wall

it was found in the 2016 to 2017 school

year that graduation rates in public

high schools reach a high of eighty four

point eight percent and this is the

highest has ever been since it was first

reported now this is great it means that

students are taking their education

seriously enough to move to the next

level it also means that life after high

school has become that much more

competitive especially in the realm of

higher education where attending a

college or university in the u.s. is not

only a burden on many students and

families it's a sacrifice it begs the

question on whether college is a worthy

investment because one of the leading

causes of debt in the u.s. is student

loan debt over 44 million University

graduates will graduate with an average

of 37 thousand one hundred and seventy

two dollars in student loans the u.s.

holds about 1.5 trillion dollars in

loans what do you think the average net

worth of a college graduate is five

thousand ten thousand in 2018 the

average net worth of the most recent

graduating class was negative thirty

nine thousand nine hundred and eighty

four dollars hold on because I'm not

done

cuz college admissions is not only a

system that is a marketable business but

it's riddled with corruption

there's test preparation courses for

college entrance exams

there's college admissions specialists

that know what to put on an application

or an interview there's even financial

aid consultants which ironically cost a

pretty penny for being around to save

money

and this is a big business because the

average cost of these experts is around

$200 an hour it really sheds a light on

how the college admissions system is a

gamble last month we saw one of the

largest college admissions fraud cases

brought to the public about 50 people

paid up to five hundred thousand dollars

to secure spots at elite schools even

with all these faults society still

values in education and in places like

the u.s. education is locked behind the

wall I could go on for hours talking

about how this system needs to change

but what we really need to ask is what

has come from it what are the effects

the consequences because these things

weigh according to a study done by the

Pew Research Center 70% of high school

aged kids say that depression and

anxiety is a major problem for them and

this does not include the many cases

that go unreported each year however the

last couple of years students have lost

on average about two hours of sleep and

how sleep loss can contribute to further

sleep disorders depression mood changes

and more how between 2006 and 2016

suicide rates in high school aged kids

has risen to 70% these things weigh I

think back to those nights sitting in a

lobby all by myself wondering why I was

here and I probably couldn't answer that

to this day

education is changing standards are

rising so how can students adapt how can

they rise with the standards going back

to my freshman orientation there was

something simple and useful I completely

ignored that has made a big change in my

life it had a green glossy cover with

spiral-bound to keep enough with enough

space to keep track of my dates and my

tasks yes I'm talking about a planner I

started keeping a planner in my

sophomore year of high school

and it was like a light went off in my

head because I started seeing all the

unnecessary pressures I was putting on

myself it was the start of a new

interest that has grown to be a big part

of my mindset as a student as well as my

mindset as a functioning person

organization and planning skills are

necessary in life yet has gained an

identity of being unapproachable

unnecessary and almost naturalized and

some people more than others that you're

born picture-perfect and organized well

I hate to break it to you organization

is not a natural trait it's a skill like

reading like writing it's something that

is learned and it's something that's

specific to you think about how many

things that you do in a day are they the

same every day are they the same as the

person next to you

probably not there's no one way to

organize everything and everyone it's a

personal skill but let's take a step

back and answer why organization skills

are necessary the brain most commonly

learns through Association for example I

like dark chocolate because to me it

tastes sweet but for some other people

dark chocolate may taste bitter these

types of Association helps us learn our

taste trade our personality this type of

learning was discovered by Ivan Pavlov

in the fame experiment Pavlov's dogs

this type of Association is how we also

retain information so what do you think

happens when you're constantly bombarded

with new information to retain like a

student ever wonder or ask why teachers

advise you to take notes during class

it's not just extra work the physical

association of the physical act of

writing and the mental app of writing

helps retain information more than

passively listening or watching a

lecture another example of this is

journaling regular stream of conscious

stream of consciousness journaling is

proven to improve memory communication

as well as reflective skills these two

organization and journaling go

hand-in-hand because they both stem from

an intimate type of recording that is

basis in stealth improvement learning

your history and improving it as you go

I've been journaling since I was a kid

and when I started planning I took the

same skills from it

taking my history and learning

from it a planning system I truly

believe in is the bullet journal system

the bullet journal system was created by

writer Carol and is fueled social mania

and new markets with its message it

promotes a personalized planning system

suited to your needs as in life as well

as your mindset he summarizes the system

in three sentences track the past order

the present and design the future at

first I didn't really think that I could

bullet journal why I am severely

artistically challenged and the reason

why is when you type in bullet journal

into social media or into Google you see

these beautifully crafted pieces of art

that are also used to organize exhibit a

it's a little intimidating but I

realized that this was an end result of

the system not the beginning the more I

learned about the bullet journal system

I learned that it was about self care

and about self recognition because when

there are things right in front of you

it's hard to deny all the faults and

errors so right before my junior year I

sat down and mapped out everything that

I wanted to do and I knew to be

successful I had to make some changes so

I ended up giving up my sport which is

one of my biggest commitments because I

knew I was filling time with things that

I did not need it was more than just

relieving myself and giving myself a

peaceful mindset it was having a focus

an intention the bullet journal system

is varied and vast and has different

takes on it all over the world but I

figured out a way to adapt the system

into my mindset as a student as a leader

and as the creator of my own website the

three P's taking the time to taking the

time in yourself is an intention to grow

it's an investment in yourself not

accounting for the unique personalities

in our school system is not only

cheating students out of their potential

it's taking away their chance at

greatness

so you might be wondering with all I've

talked about organization what's my own

plan how do I organize I've a system

that I like to use because I've seen it

not only work for me but for other

people so first take out a piece of

paper and something to write with

I prefer paper to a screen because

there's a certain permanence around a

piece of paper and ink then write down

everything keep it simple line by line

write down all your dates all your tasks

all your thoughts it's called a brain

dump it's a moment in time for you to

relieve everything in your head so you

can start making necessary decisions

once you have your list we need to

divide it up make it a little bit more

easy to see I like to use three or four

general sections for example school /

work personal life and health using

broad sections allows for more

specification later on assign either a

color or a symbol to each of these

sections for example a star for school

and work a square for personal life and

a circle for health go down your list

and mark each item with one of these

symbols or colors once you have your

list divided we need to prioritize

prioritizing is a skill that takes

experience and is morally specific to

you but there are two general questions

that help a lot is this urgent or is

this important the reason I ask these

questions is because it highlights

what's necessary of your mind and of

your time

for example it's important that I

finished my English paper which is due

next week but the urgency of my math

homework outweighs the importance of my

English paper go down your list and mark

each item with either an eye for

important au for urgent or an IU for

important and urgent order mark it at

all another thing to knock off your list

once your list is divided and prioritize

we need to organize start off with a

daily to-do list it has everything that

you need right in front of you once you

get comfortable keeping a daily to-do

list start with a little bit more

general and overview planning with a

weekly planner or a monthly planner and

go on and learn as you go on of

what you like for more information on my

planning system and some trip tips and

tricks please check out my website and

my instagram at the three P's 19 now

I've hope I've inspired some new

organizers and have hope as incited some

new motivation because that's what it is

for me every Sunday morning at my desk

with my notebook and my pens and a good

cup of coffee

I'd like to say that even if you plan

things down beautifully to the last

second it's not about the plan because

sometimes it doesn't go according to

it's all for you it's about taking the

time to make sense of your life of your

interests of your time because taking

this time is an intention and your is an

intention and growth it's and having

this intention to grow leads to

greatness which starts right up here I'd

like you to thank you for your time for

listening

[Music]