As a freshman, I ran for the regional board. This was something that was not normal in my home community, but due to summer programs and previous experience, I knew I was ready to take it on. 

Let me just start off by saying that the regional board is an AMAZING experience and an opportunity that brought BBYO even closer to my heart. With that said, it did have its challenges. Balancing BBYO, school, my social life, and everything else was a difficult feat, but I was ready to put in the work and effort. 

One thing that helped me was learning how to manage my time. I don’t just mean creating a calendar. I truly mean planning day by day. For instance, if you know you have BBYO work and school work, plan out when each thing is getting done. I made sure to do my homework as soon as I got home from school so I could dedicate the rest of my night to BBYO. It might sound silly, but trust me, it helps. 

Another thing I did was block off convention and event dates at the beginning of the year. It would have been upsetting to not realize it was a convention weekend and have other plans. It is so important to calendar as much as you can so you are prepared for all events and chapter meetings that may occur.  

Nonetheless, BBYO is a place for fun and community, not for building stress. If you manage your time well, you can ensure everything will run as smoothly as possible. For the times that seem overwhelming, remember to communicate. Help is always there if you just ask for it.