Homework; the daunting task a student must face at the end of the day. I have never seen a student to enjoy homework, but it is a typical part of school and one can learn to live with it. However, sometimes other obligations happening outside of school can make it difficult for the average student to get all their homework done in time.

We are at school to learn. It is a simple fact that can hold much more meaning than might meet the eye. If we think carefully our lives from 5  to about 22, an entire 17 years of our life is spent going to school. If we have to go through the process of obtaining knowledge for an entire 17 years of our lives, one can only think it’s important. Now, if I relate back to the point I mentioned before, we are at school to learn. However, many times the learning is not confined to the school day. This extended learning comes a form all students have been acquainted with more than once; Homework.

Now, homework is not a bad thing. It’s not a teacher’s way of poking you in the ribs while they laugh in your ears. It’s not “just another way a teacher is looking to fail you”. Homework is meant to help you. It is meant to strengthen the foundation of the concept you are currently learning; therefore strengthening your comprehension of the subject. However, sometimes it may seem as though the teacher cares a bit too much. For instance, you may be thinking this as you stare despondently at the 3 different assignments you have to do for just one of your classes. Trust me, I know, I do this every other day. You begin to think, “How in the world am I supposed to get this done when I have to go to guitar lessons, then the gym, then hang out with my friends, then babysit my little sister, then walk the dog, then, then, then…” The list goes on and on. We’ve all been there. We’ve all been in the moment when our minds are racing and our despair seems to increase and we just don’t know what to do.

Homework causes stress. At the age we are at, we always seems to be stressing about something as if the world were about to end. Maybe that’s a good thing. It’s a sure sign you care. If you didn’t care, you wouldn’t worry about homework or anything of the sort. Homework probably isn’t the only thing that causes stress in our lives either. There is always the added stress of the other things that are going on in our life. Perhaps you’re very ambitious like I am, and always want to do as much as you can outside of school. You want to do everything, but there is always another assignment just sitting at the back of your binder waiting for you.

As I said before, teachers do not give homework to see their students fail. In reality, your homework should give you a good bearing on how you are doing in your class. If you ever find yourself struggling, overwhelmed, stressed, confused, et-cetera, please, don’t let yourself keep drowning! You always have to opportunity to talk to your teacher and ask for help. They want to help you. They want you to succeed. All you have to do is be honest and ask. If you find yourself gasping for air under all your homework or unable to make a deadline, talk to your teacher about it. It’s possible to get an extension if you really need it, but you definitely won’t get one if they don’t know there’s a problem.

The question presented in the title is probably still not answered for many of you. I have both criticized and defended homework and how manageable it is. And dear reader, I believe there is a task at hand. Go, make an inference on what you think I’m trying to say. For those of you who instantly thought, “Oh homework is never manageable,” think a little bit deeper into the subject. Do you always get your homework done even when you think it will be impossible to do so? If you haven’t , have you ever talked to your teacher about your struggles? Think about it. Alright, I’d like that typed up and on my desk on Wednesday morning.