CHALLENGES AND COPING MECHANISMS OF SELECTED GRADE 11 STUDENTS OF GENERAL DE JESUS COLLEGE IN BALANCING ACADEMICS AND EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

Abstract

The objective of this research was to determine the challenges and coping mechanisms of selected Grade 11 students at General De Jesus College during the School Year 2023–2024. These students were engaged in extracurricular activities while simultaneously managing their academic responsibilities. This study utilized a phenomenological research method aligned with the objectives of the study. Semi-structured, in-depth interviews accompanied by audio recordings were conducted to obtain meaningful insights from the participants. The results showed that most participants belonged to the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) strand at General De Jesus College. The findings identified several challenges faced by the participants, including poor time management, missed lessons or activities, arriving home late, physical issues, nervousness, and disrupted sleeping schedules. The study also revealed coping mechanisms such as creating schedules or planners, improving time management skills, family influence on motivation, skill enhancement and development, motivation, building confidence and public exposure, engaging in hobbies, personal growth, emotional regulation, and scaling activities. However, some participants were still struggling to balance extracurricular activities and academic responsibilities. The findings indicated that most participants were from the STEM strand and commonly experienced challenges related to time management while participating in extracurricular activities. Many participants identified creating a schedule or planner as an effective coping mechanism for balancing academic and extracurricular commitments. According to P. Buckley et al. (2018), 32% of participants acknowledged the time commitment and tension between extracurricular activities and academic performance, citing scheduling issues and stress. This study aimed to identify both the problems and possible solutions related to balancing students’ academic and extracurricular responsibilities. One limitation of the study was the lack of a wider population, which may have limited broader insights into students engaged in extracurricular activities.