Teen Exec Question of the Week

August 26, 2025

It’s Sunday night, and you finally unzip your backpack after ignoring it all weekend. Inside, you find:

  • Three crumpled handouts from different classes
  • A moldy sandwich in a side pocket
  • Two unsigned permission slips
  • A math worksheet stamped “due last Friday”
  • Zero working pens or pencils
  • And your planner, unopened at the very bottom

You feel overwhelmed and unsure where to start.

What’s the first step you should take to get back on track?

Empty your backpack completely and sort everything into categories
Start your math worksheet right away to catch up on missed work
Throw everything away and hope your teachers will give you new supplies
Text a friend to find out what assignments are due this week
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Best Response: A

Explanation: When you’re disorganized, your brain is cluttered too. Emptying your backpack gives you a clean slate—and a clear sense of what you’re dealing with. Once everything is out, you can separate papers by class, toss trash, set aside anything that’s overdue, and identify what you’re missing (like supplies or signed forms). This physical reset helps you mentally reset, too. By getting organized first, you’ll make smarter decisions about what to tackle next, and you’ll feel more in control.

Let’s look at the other options: B avoids the root of the problem by rushing into a single task without first getting organized. You could miss something more urgent or lose time trying to work in a cluttered space. C is tempting when you’re overwhelmed, but it reflects avoidance rather than accountability. Throwing everything away may feel like a reset, but it often leads to more problems, like lost materials, broken trust, and repeated mistakes. D might seem helpful in the moment, but it relies on someone else to manage your responsibilities. While checking in with a friend isn’t wrong, it shouldn’t replace your own system for staying on top of your work.

Takeaway: Effective students don’t panic or procrastinate when things get messy. They pause, reset, and organize so they can lead themselves forward with confidence.