"Know yourself, and you will know your future."| A Duke Student's Advice on Balancing Life

We had the privilege of interviewing Catherine McMillan, a student at Duke University a former student at the North Carolina Governor's School her documentaries were featured in a screening at the National Museum of African American History and Culture We asked for advice on: Balancing Life Here are some notable words she shares: Choose the few things you are truly passionate about, dive deep, and participate fully. We are more than numbers. Q: How did you schedule your time to complete and do well in everything in high school? A: Sometimes I wonder how I got out of high school in one piece. I had horrible time management skills and often flaked on my work until 9PM. I got it done, of course, but often at the expense of my sleep cycle. I think what kept me going was a prevailing sense of needing to perform well , so through sheer willpower, I was able to muscle through my procrastination tendencies and take care of business. Q: If you realized you had given yourself too many commitments, how did you determine what to give up? A: Rank your activities. Prioritize the ones that you list first. Then cut the fat. Do you really need to be in 4 honors societies? Do you really want to be in three separate service clubs? Choose the few things you are truly passionate about, dive deep, and participate fully. Q: What is one inevitable obstacle we will all have to face in our high school career? A: Developing a clearer sense of self and purpose when we’ve been conditioned to ascribe self-value based on achievements and test scores. We are more than numbers. Q: What are some regrets that you have about your high school career? A: Not giving myself time to breathe, relax, and have fun. See Catherine's LinkedIn account here !