I've grown up way too fast.

[Katana]

I have no time to sit still, play video games, or hell, even sleep to the needed capacity. Ever since I started driving, I've become everyone's chauffer (everyone being my mom, who sends me on errands constantly) I go to school, I come home, squeak out some homework, and then it's off to work. When I get home from work, it's 10, possibly 11, I'm filthy, and I need a shower, I climb into bed at 1 or 2, all to go to get up at 5:30 and repeat.

Plus, being anemic dosen't help.

I've been sicker, my red blood cells have been lower, but I can't quit my job, because life here isn't great, and my only freedom relies in my car. (Bertha, Herbie, The Barbie Bus, or the "Tractor of Suck", as affectionately named by Hoth)

I'm not sure what to do. I've tried to manage my time to allow some rest, but...The forces of whatever and flux and flow and the time-space continum just won't let me do it.

Some people wish money grew on trees. Sure, that would fix my problem too (if I could just pluck enough for gas and insurance, that'd be great.) But, what I really want, is for time to grow on trees, so I could go out and pluck an hour or two to sleep or to be a damn kid for once.

...sigh.

[kei]

I know what you mean, it is always important to have time for yourself. As the saying goes, "Take care of yourself first before you take care of others."

[Daijaga]

Your situation is directly related to your age bracket, Katana. A sign of the times, when 'wasting time' is thought of as a grave sin and work and school are the golden pinnacles of human acheivment. I never understood why we go to school for seven hours and have hours of homework too boot - especially at an age when kids need jobs to pay for cars and RIDICULOUSLY priced insurance.

Never fear, Katana-dear; this sort of thing wont and cant last forever. Are you a senior yet? If your not, take off any senior periods your school allows you to when you are. Theres time for college credit in college and you need some personal Katana time - regardless of what parents, councilers, and teachers say. They are meaning well, but you know what you need for yourself too.

Take some time to look at what you have to do in a day and see if you cant cut something out, do somethign while your doing something else (like go to the grociery store on your way home from work), or do something earlier in the day (working on homework during lunch at school) - rearranging somethings might help your free time fall into more lump sums rather that fleeting fiteen minute spasams.

All in all though, your still a trap of your society and age group. Work, study, money, school, sleep. Its a sucky cycle, but things will even out in time.

[Silver Adept]

Dai's right - the prevalent trend is that people think that if you give a teenager a moment to themselves, they'll spend it trying to get high or vandalizing or doing some other "socially unacceptable" thing.

My suggestions are, in order:

1) Tell your mother to lay off - use your homework as an excuse to ensure that she stays off. Do your studies and maintain how important they are and you may be able to buy yourself some time.

2) As Dai suggested, if there are ways you can make your necessary routines more efficient, then that's definitely in your favor to do so if it frees up time and doesn't overstress you.

3) If you can take it, ask for less hours at work and use that time for yourself or for your studies. You'll have more than enough time to have someone grind you into the ground in the name of work.

[reaper]

Its fun isn't it, when you’re a kid you have to do the most work, for the least gain. Going to school and then going right to work which totals to at least a 12 hour day, for maybe $200 dollars a week, and that’s is you have a really good job. not to mention that they give you homework which is you are expected to spend even more time on, so even if you spend a measly 10 hours a week you are still talking like 70+ hours of time that you don't get to yourself. Then let’s add the supposed 8 hours of sleep you are supposed to get and you are talking about 126 out of the 168 hours a week leaving a grim 42 hours free time, not even counting the time spent getting ready for work/school and then eating and cleaning ect.
It’s ridiculous.

Oh and don't you just love the assumption that you are a bad driver just because you are young? Lord knows I do. I mean who wouldn't want to be a 20 year old male, who has been driving for 4 years, has not ever had a speeding ticket, never gotten in an accident or anything...but still has ridiculous rates only because you are a 20 year old male.

[Ultrawolf]

Buck up Kiddo
You just gotta tough it,
Sit down with your Ma and tell her how you feel,
you never know,
maybe she'll take it to heart and try her best to help.
Maybe not, but you don't wanna waste your time you have now always working, never having any fun because then you'll grow up and you'll either spend all your time playing catch up for all the time you lost or you'll just have to let go. I wish I had the answers to fix your problems, but I don't. All I can say is keep truckin. You're a tough gal, and I know whatever you do You'll do it well.

[Katana]

Christmas break has brought me a little room to breathe. But it ends soon. I've been able to spend all day sitting around, playing video games, sewing pillows, driving...And then, I work at night, not to mention, I haven't had to work the days from the 23rd to the 30th...It's been great, but it all ends on 1/5/06...Ces't la vie....

Thanks for the advice guys. I really appriciate.

[Silver Adept]

Well, a little time off is better than none. Hopefully, you can convince them that plenty of time off is good.

[Tobias]

hmm...this feels like a reminder when i had just turned 16. I was soooooo raring to get into the working world and start making myself some money. Let I mind you, I still didn't have my license yet, so i would go to school at 7 oclock, on the way back from school, get off at work and go to work from 3 to 8, then get home, do my homework, and then hit the hey.

Lets just say i didn't work that job very long.

Anywho, I can't say im the best at time management. Out of all of the commuters at school, id say that i'm the most level-headed, and best, but I l have plenty lacking, since i work about 20-30 hours a week, am a full time student, and am trying to live a full college life whilst being a commuter student. Its tough, but its worth it...that is, if it isn't sucking up all of your time.

Don't grow up too fast chica...you've got loads to do still...i grew up too fast, but everyone is forced to. Like Ultra said, you just gotta buck up and try to manage it as best as you can.

Dont know if i helped any, but there's my opinion.