1. Delta math assignment 
2. Empty pending 
3. Write column 
4. Make up math quiz 
5. Write ASL script 

This is my school to-do list for this week. As the days progress, I will check off each assignment just as quickly as I add something new. Each night, I surely will procrastinate one of these things until eventually, Friday hits, and I am forced to complete whatever mundane task that was the most dreaded item on said list. 

1. Get my nails done 
2. Order boutineer 
3. Lip sync practice 
4. Fill out the Homecoming Court google form 
5. Coach 7th/8th-grade finale football game 
6. Work Tuesday 
7. Learn the pyramid for Thursday’s assembly 

This is what I like to call my activity to-do list. These are the tasks that I have to complete throughout the week that aren’t assigned by a teacher or that don’t require me to sit in front of my laptop and painstakingly convince myself I understand what’s happening in all my classes—even though my notes are scattered with little doodles all over that usually signify my wandering brain as my teacher is going through the lesson.  

Although these two lists have completely different types of tasks on them, at the end of the day, it all has to get done—by me. Truth be told, I am not sure I have the time. That is if I value a minimum of 5 hours of sleep, which I do. 

Sure, some of the tasks might be easier than others, and you might be looking at my activity to-do list and thinking to yourself, “getting my nails done is fun.” You’re right, getting my nails done is fun. Until my appointment runs long, and I am late for coaching the youth cheerleaders, which makes me run behind for powderpuff warm-ups, which ultimately makes me not want to do my homework when I get home because I am drained from running around and overwhelmed beyond repair. 

I so desperately want to focus my already-short attention span on the aspects of high school that I know will linger in my memory long after they’re done. I want to give credit to the moments I can already foresee myself looking back on. I want to revel in the senior powderpuff victory, I want to feel ecstatic about being on homecoming court, I want to be elated with pride over my final homecoming cheer performance, and I want to feel it all without being guilty about not getting 100% on my math assignment. 

Yet here we are.  

Next week, it will all be over; I’ll have a new to-do list in hand,  and I can only hope that my next-week self is pleased with the outcome of my efforts this week. As for the person who is so far into the future that she won’t even remember next week, I sincerely hope senior year Homecoming week is the enchanting memory we always hoped for.