Many of my schoolmates complain about having too many assignments, tests, co-curricular activities (CCA) and other commitments. They go to bed after 1am and sleep for just five to six hours.

But this is not my experience.

I managed to go to bed by 11pm and sleep for more than seven hours. I was able to maintain my grades and balance commitments such as thrice-weekly music lessons and twice-weekly CCA.

Schools do make adjustments to help us cope.

In my school, students can be excused from CCA if their grades are falling. The four quizzes per semester were condensed into one combined test after complaints.

Yet, students still gripe endlessly.

I believe that schools and schoolwork are not the problem. Rather, it is the students.

Perhaps students' inability to cope has to do with poor time management and procrastination. There are also distractions from friends, games and celebrities.

Tan Yan, 16, Secondary 4 student