From Busy to Intentional by Nonso

From Busy to Intentional by Nonso - April 2026 Scholarship Essay

There was a time when my days felt like a blur. I was constantly busy but never really in control of my time. I’d leave school thinking about my rugby practice, then leaving practice thinking about homework, and then sit down to study while thinking about my job at AutoZone the next day. I spoke to my coach about this, and he pointed out that I didn’t just need to work harder; I needed to get better at managing my time.
The skill I really want to master is the ability to manage my time more effectively, not just keeping myself busy, but being more intentional about how I spend every moment. Balancing school, sports, my job, and volunteering at the Veterans place has shown me how easy it can be to feel swamped. During my IGCSE prep, I had to manage long hours of studying while also keeping up with my other commitments. At the time, I thought time management meant filling up every hour with things I had to do; however, I’ve come to realize that being busy doesn't always mean being productive.
Since then, I’ve started approaching how I manage my time differently. Working at AutoZone, I've had to develop a sixth sense for prioritizing tasks, whether it's helping a customer find a rare car part or juggling multiple phone calls during peak hours. I remember this one Saturday when the store was very busy, and I had to assist with a customer's brake issue while simultaneously processing a return and answering questions about our warranty policy. It was tedious, yet somehow I managed to keep everyone smiling. On top of that, captaining my rugby team has taught me how to lead by example by balancing my own training sessions with making sure my teammates are squared away. Like the time in my sophomore year, we had a big match, and I had to prep plays, motivate the team, and still manage my own injury break. I didn't sleep much that week, but we pulled off the win.
In the coming months, I plan to develop this skill even more during my transition from high school into college. Studying electrical engineering will require not only a strong academic focus but also the ability to manage multiple deadlines, projects, and responsibilities all at once without breaking a sweat. I plan on doing this by making my priorities clear, breaking big tasks into manageable bits, and holding myself accountable with realistic schedules. For instance, I'll be using a hybrid planner system which includes part digital and part old-school pen-and-paper to map out my weekly schedules, and setting aside dedicated "focus blocks" for the toughest problems.
Additionally, I want to build the discipline to protect my time. This means knowing when to focus, when to take a break, and when to say no. Volunteering at the Veterans Place has taught me how precious time can be, not just for getting things done but also for building connections. Some of the most valuable experiences I’ve had came from being present instead of rushing into a new task. I know that mastering time management isn’t something that will happen overnight. There will still be days when it all feels like too much. But I’ve learned that managing my time isn’t about trying to control every minute; it’s about making sure the time I do have is spent with purpose.