"5 AM: The hour when legends either wake up or go to bed." | A Harvard Alum on Extracurriculars

We had the privilege of interviewing Taylor Reneau and asked for some experience about: Extracurriculars Taylor is: alum of Ivy League university, Harvard University in Massachusetts founder of Ivy Advise - an online course to help high school students get into dream school a YouTuber who speaks on various topics about education Here are some of her main points: "Everything had its place in my schedule, and I didn’t deviate from that schedule. I did, however, compromise sleep. A lot of it." "It all worked because I never allowed my feelings to get in the way of what needed to be done." Q: For some of your major extracurriculars, roughly how many days a week did you spend involved in it (preparing for competitions, attending meetings, etc)? A: I spent about 6-7 days a week on my extracurriculars. Track was every school day for at least 2 hours in the spring, tennis was every school day for at least 2 hours in the fall. Add in competition days, a couple other extracurriculars (e.g. debate club, NHS, etc.), and you’ll notice I didn’t have a life outside of school! Q: Did you ever prioritize your extracurriculars above your schoolwork or grades? A: Never. But I never had to. Everything had its place in my schedule , and I didn’t deviate from that schedule. I did, however, compromise sleep. A lot of it. Q: Did any of your extracurriculars shape your future or are related to what career path you want to pursue? A: As a YouTuber (youtube.com/yesreneau), I believe that my art classes (which weren’t extracurricular, but they felt like it) were very relevant for teaching me how to find inspiration in the mundane . Also, as the founder of an Ivy League admissions company, I talk about my high-school extracurricular life all the time. And now that I’m getting deeper into thinking about this... I still work out about 6 days every week, so I would say that athletics has also hugely shaped who I am today. I guess that I’m exactly who I was eight years ago, except a more matured version (hopefully). Q: What accomplishments or impacts did you make in the extracurriculars you were involved in? A: For track, I ran the 4X100m at States in Ohio. Our relay team placed 7th. In art, there were few awards… but my talent was conveyed through showing the admissions officers my paintings . I really didn’t have too many spectacular awards, though. My way with words is really what sealed the deal for me through the essays. Q: How do you balance extracurriculars with home, work, and social life? A: I didn’t back then. I just slept less , made my extracurricular life my social life, suppressed my feelings, watched comedy shows to blow off steam, crossed my fingers, and hoped for the best. It all worked because I never allowed my feelings to get in the way of what needed to be done. Also, if you want to know more about Taylor, take a look at her LinkedIn , her YouTube Channel YesReneau , and her business, Ivy Advise .