Sophomores attended the optional “Business of Studenting” seminars Oct. 20 to Oct. 23 to learn about stress reduction and productivity at the upper-school.

Interdisciplinary Studies and Independent Research Teacher Rob Levin is the head of the program. The first of four sessions open to sophomores, entitled “Life Beyond the Goldfish Bowl,” took place on student-elected periods throughout the week.

Students learned Levin’s point of view on time management and how to stay inspired to do well.

“Mr. Levin’s seminar really helped helped me see why we come to school every day,” Jonathan Damico ’18 said.

Levin’s goal for “The Business of Studenting” course is to share what he learned through his experience as a student, and to teach a way to balance happiness and success at Harvard-Westlake. 

“One of our four pillars is ‘the joyful pursuit of excellence,’ and often it seems the joyfulness and excellence are at cross-purposes, and that you choose that to get more of one, you have to have less of the other,” said Levin, “I’d rather make the choice easier.”