Post by matthewlogan on Aug 14, 2011 13:14:51 GMT -5
As I was reading this article I became more and more unsettled. I started to think about what it is going to be like in the future if now I am already consumed by work. Trying to mange several hours of school work every night, two hours of football practice, working so I can have a means of transportation and trying to have somewhat of a social life. From the moment I wake to the second I go to sleep, it is a constant struggle to manage my time and work load. Sometimes I must sacrifice one class’s homework do to another’s or stay in the house all day doing homework on a beautiful day so I can keep up my grades.
“One senior told me that she went to bed around two and woke up each morning at seven; she could afford that much rest because she had learned to supplement her full day of work by studying in her sleep” (Brooks, page one). During last year’s school year this was me. After practice I would go home, clean up, eat and then stay up all night doing homework then get up to work on it some more. Often trying to finish it during class or at lunch. I felt trapped in the same cycle over and over. Unable to break out to do something fun or just relax. As the load piled up, the hours available for sleeping or for me decreased. Going from activity to activity was mind numbing.
Although the work load was hard, I seemed to enjoy it. I liked feeling challenged both mentally and physically. I seemed to become addicted to the busy schedule. “At least for people as smart and ambitious as these, I want to be this busy”( Carr, page one). I feel like I must challenge myself as much as possible. To take every class I can to prepare myself for college that I need to get perfect grades so I can get into the college of my dreams. Even though I know the stress I put on myself is unnecessary, I feel like I need to.
I agree that students are over-worked. Some push themselves to the breaking point and still don’t stop to take time out of the day to relax. They are taking AP and honor classes while in a couple clubs, playing a sport or two, volunteering at a social event and trying to have a part time job. At this point, these type of students become more machine than human. Doing nothing but work and having no time to do something you truly enjoy. These students are depriving themselves of a youth and giving up a great time of their lives just to put themselves in a position for a high paying job in the future. As the old saying goes “all work and no play makes Johnny a dull boy.” This is what happens to these elite students that put this huge work load upon their shoulders.
“One senior told me that she went to bed around two and woke up each morning at seven; she could afford that much rest because she had learned to supplement her full day of work by studying in her sleep” (Brooks, page one). During last year’s school year this was me. After practice I would go home, clean up, eat and then stay up all night doing homework then get up to work on it some more. Often trying to finish it during class or at lunch. I felt trapped in the same cycle over and over. Unable to break out to do something fun or just relax. As the load piled up, the hours available for sleeping or for me decreased. Going from activity to activity was mind numbing.
Although the work load was hard, I seemed to enjoy it. I liked feeling challenged both mentally and physically. I seemed to become addicted to the busy schedule. “At least for people as smart and ambitious as these, I want to be this busy”( Carr, page one). I feel like I must challenge myself as much as possible. To take every class I can to prepare myself for college that I need to get perfect grades so I can get into the college of my dreams. Even though I know the stress I put on myself is unnecessary, I feel like I need to.
I agree that students are over-worked. Some push themselves to the breaking point and still don’t stop to take time out of the day to relax. They are taking AP and honor classes while in a couple clubs, playing a sport or two, volunteering at a social event and trying to have a part time job. At this point, these type of students become more machine than human. Doing nothing but work and having no time to do something you truly enjoy. These students are depriving themselves of a youth and giving up a great time of their lives just to put themselves in a position for a high paying job in the future. As the old saying goes “all work and no play makes Johnny a dull boy.” This is what happens to these elite students that put this huge work load upon their shoulders.