Q&A: Aryan Patel Talks About How He Balances School and Extracurriculars

What extracurriculars do you participate in?

I play tennis, basketball and run track. I am also a part of the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council, Logansport Alumni Association Junior Board, Pep Club and National Honor Society. I’m the president of Key Club.

What got you into the Mayor’s Youth Advisory Council and the Logansport Alumni Association Junior Board? What do you do in both of them?

An upperclassman recommended the Council to me and gave me an application. In the Council, I work with high schoolers from Pioneer, Logansport and Lewis Cass on some projects. Currently, we are working on bringing a futsal,

Sitting at Logansport Mayor Chris Martin’s desk while Martin stands behind him, Patel and Martin pose for a picture. Patel became Martin’s intern at the beginning of the school year. (Courtesy of Aryan Patel)

or concrete soccer court, to Logansport. We are also looking into bringing in a skate park and potentially a community garden in the future. For the Junior Board, I sit in on the board’s meetings and offer some of my opinions on their strategies to attract and retain members along with organizing events.

Have you enjoyed working with Chris Martin and other members of the local government on making changes to our community?

Yes, I have enjoyed my internship so far working with Mayor Chris Martin, Deputy Mayor Jacob Pomasl and Administrative Assistant Mendy Asseslin. Everyone has a positive attitude and is always busy. You can tell that they want what is best for our city.

What does your schedule look like? Which of your classes keeps you the busiest?

For first and second periods, I have my internship. After that, I have AP Calculus, AP Physics, AP Literature, Weights and AP Biology. I would say AP Calculus keeps me the busiest homework-wise, but AP Biology definitely requires more studying.

Focusing on the ball on the opponent’s side, Patel prepares himself to receive the opponent’s shot. Tennis is one of the three sports that Patel plays during the school year. (Vasan Nomany)

How do you time manage while also being a three-sport athlete?

I usually plan out my week to see what work and studying needs to be done today and what can wait until tomorrow. I try to get as much done at school as I can. I don’t really struggle with procrastinating, so I’m able to stay on top of my work.

Do you find it hard to dedicate your time to sports while also being dedicated to school?

No, not really. I think I have a good balance with sports and school. Sometimes, I have to sacrifice a little free time, but it’s worth it.