Good Morning Bronco Band Nation! So I already know what you are saying. "Aye, Mr. Story. Leave it alone. I'm fine. This is a vacation. Let me enjoy my time to rest."
That was my first thought too. The kid in me was like "Sweet! 2 more weeks off. I'm just gonna sleep, watch Netflix, Disney+ and play Call of Duty." I am Generation X...we invented lounging around, watching tv, being on the internet and playing video games all day. I can do this for months and not need any social interaction.
However, as an adult and parent I have seen the advantages and positive changes in my daughter's lives when I put them on a schedule. Heck, I've seen the very negative effects of letting them stay up as late as they want, wake up with no purpose and only play on phones, tv and internet for hours on end. Last summer was like this. I saw both my daughter's slip into a type of depression that kids their ages should not have. They were unhappy. They were sad a lot. They were isolated and reserved. Juliana couldn't sleep at night. She kept us all awake. There was a lot of fighting. As parents, my wife and I stopped, reflected and decided to put them on a schedule.
Having a schedule, especially when you have weeks of isolation and social distancing ahead is very important. It creates a routine for you. It gives you a purpose. Already, I am seeing different daughter's with their routine. Juliana woke up this morning before her scheduled time and looks forward to her days. Below is a sample of what we will be doing. This will change. Today it was raining so we did indoor exercise.
Of course this will look different for you, as you are not in elementary school. However, the format could stay somewhat the same. The elements might change a little. Academic Time should split up by your 8 classes you take daily. Spend 20 minutes on Math, 20 Minutes on Social Studies, 20 Minutes on ELA & 20 Minutes on Science. I recommend you set aside at least 30 minutes for reading anything you would like and not clump this into ELA time. Fort Worth ISD has just created their "Learn at Home" Website that gives you resources on how to expand your learning while at home. You can visit https://www.fwisd.org/site/Default.aspx?PageID=23654. For Band things, we will be posting all sorts of resources on websites to keep you engaged on your music education.
Here is the cool thing about learning at home. These resources aren't specific yet. You can watch a youtube video that spikes your interest from the suggested sites. Instead of following the school's schedule, you can make up your own. Need more time on Math? Go 30 minutes instead of 20. You can eat lunch when you want. You can exercise your way.
I know that this schedule won't work for us all. Some of us are babysitting our siblings. Some of us are going to work with our parents and helping with their job. Some of us still have gotten back from our spring break trips overseas. Try your best. When you create a schedule for yourself, you wake up with a purpose. Humans are creatures of habit and routine. We naturally want to feel in control. Try it Mr. Story's way. For 1 week. You will be happier. I promise.