Dear Gus,
I am going to be approaching my Bat Mitzvah soon and the work load is just piling up. Everything is about my Bat Mitzvah yet I still need to balance it with my school work. I talked to my parents and they told me they would help me. But I still have work, I hope that there is a way for me to tell my teachers if maybe I could postpone some of my work. I will be having lessons everyday until my Bat Mitzvah.

Thank you for helping me,
Stressed

Dear Stressed,

Thank you so much for submitting this question to me.  I know it can be extremely difficult to find a balance between schoolwork and extracurriculars.  I hope your Bat Mitzvah preparation is going well, but I know it can be stressful to know how much time to devote to one thing and how much to the other.  I’m happy that you have your parents supporting on this, as I know it can be hard to go through this kind of pressure alone.

You asked if you could talk to your teachers about this, and while I think it depends on your teachers, most are supportive and understanding when you have a lot going on.  Other people that might be helpful to you are your advisor or dean, these people really understand that Bat Mitzvah time can be stressful and might have some more tips for you.

Thanks again for asking me, and I hope this was helpful.

Gus