The Workload is Real
Brooke McBee
Brooke McBee
The teenage experience is a busy one, as various responsibilities are placed on students while they are trying to navigate their way into adolescence. Juggling a hefty amount of tasks, most teens must learn how to balance classwork, homelife, preparation for the future, and even more. This can make maintaining a healthy lifestyle close to impossible as time for socializing, sleeping, and relaxing slowly dissipates as more things are added to their heavy workload.
Abbigayle Mouchakkaa, a student in the midst of her teen years, explains some of the things high schoolers have to manage: “Teens have so much to do. Whether it be homework and studying for classes, which may or may not be AP or honors, working a part-time job, completing chores at home, taking part in clubs and sports, planning for adulthood, or all of the above, almost no time is left for them to just breathe. Most teachers don’t take into consideration that teens have other things they must do, so they each pile on homework which may take some hours to complete. They claim that it ‘prepares you for the real world’ but most of the work they give is unnecessary and overwhelming.”
Though it is true teens report spending, on average, more than three hours on homework a night, some adults do not recognize just how much they have to do “because there is a huge generation gap. Parents expect school to be the same for their kids as when they were a student, but education has changed a lot since then. Plus, parents expect the younger generation to be better than theirs, which puts pressure and high expectations on them.”, Vanessa Wong, a tenth grader, believes.
The standards placed on teens to succeed and their endless to-do lists can have a substantial effect on their lifestyles and mental states. Another sophomore, Atallia Stewart, expresses that, “in order to do that [complete responsibilities], a student might stay up late doing homework and then go in early to get extra help, which can result in a lack of sleep or only eating quickly in unhealthy foods instead of a balanced meal.” Statistics support Stewart’s claim with only 15% of teens getting close to the recommended amount of sleep per night, as well as students’ personal stories, such as Wong who shares, “I often have to skip meals to complete homework, and I don’t have time to spend on my interests.”
Too much tension caused by a strenuous workload can have severe negative ramifications, because it “can lead to teens finding different ways to cope with the stress which may not always be positive. Some might turn to drugs while others might develop an eating disorder.”, Stewart claims. Along with dangerous coping methods, Mouchakkaa suspects one’s mental health may face repercussions as well: “Teens with many responsibilities may be more susceptible to disorders such as depression or anxiety.”
Though it is clear teens’ workloads are “massive”, as Wong describes, the solution for improving the issue is more blurred. Stewart suggests, “They [schools] should have a scheduled day for when homework will be given and when it’s due so the students can at least prepare, and if there is a project or test coming up, then there shouldn’t be any homework. The teachers can also give the ‘homework’ as extra credit or optional review for those who may not have time to complete it.” Meanwhile, Mouchakkaa advises to, “focus on your health. Schoolwork, though important, will come and go but your health should always be the priority.”
So despite some teachers and adults inability to acknowledge the grueling workload of a teenager, many students must face the consequences of being given too many responsibilities. It can have a considerable impact on their life as it produces an abundant amount of stress and issues, but it is crucial to prioritize physical and mental health. None of one’s responsibilities will matter if they are too depressed, sick, or dead to reap the benefits of completing them.
Abbigayle Mouchakkaa, a student in the midst of her teen years, explains some of the things high schoolers have to manage: “Teens have so much to do. Whether it be homework and studying for classes, which may or may not be AP or honors, working a part-time job, completing chores at home, taking part in clubs and sports, planning for adulthood, or all of the above, almost no time is left for them to just breathe. Most teachers don’t take into consideration that teens have other things they must do, so they each pile on homework which may take some hours to complete. They claim that it ‘prepares you for the real world’ but most of the work they give is unnecessary and overwhelming.”
Though it is true teens report spending, on average, more than three hours on homework a night, some adults do not recognize just how much they have to do “because there is a huge generation gap. Parents expect school to be the same for their kids as when they were a student, but education has changed a lot since then. Plus, parents expect the younger generation to be better than theirs, which puts pressure and high expectations on them.”, Vanessa Wong, a tenth grader, believes.
The standards placed on teens to succeed and their endless to-do lists can have a substantial effect on their lifestyles and mental states. Another sophomore, Atallia Stewart, expresses that, “in order to do that [complete responsibilities], a student might stay up late doing homework and then go in early to get extra help, which can result in a lack of sleep or only eating quickly in unhealthy foods instead of a balanced meal.” Statistics support Stewart’s claim with only 15% of teens getting close to the recommended amount of sleep per night, as well as students’ personal stories, such as Wong who shares, “I often have to skip meals to complete homework, and I don’t have time to spend on my interests.”
Too much tension caused by a strenuous workload can have severe negative ramifications, because it “can lead to teens finding different ways to cope with the stress which may not always be positive. Some might turn to drugs while others might develop an eating disorder.”, Stewart claims. Along with dangerous coping methods, Mouchakkaa suspects one’s mental health may face repercussions as well: “Teens with many responsibilities may be more susceptible to disorders such as depression or anxiety.”
Though it is clear teens’ workloads are “massive”, as Wong describes, the solution for improving the issue is more blurred. Stewart suggests, “They [schools] should have a scheduled day for when homework will be given and when it’s due so the students can at least prepare, and if there is a project or test coming up, then there shouldn’t be any homework. The teachers can also give the ‘homework’ as extra credit or optional review for those who may not have time to complete it.” Meanwhile, Mouchakkaa advises to, “focus on your health. Schoolwork, though important, will come and go but your health should always be the priority.”
So despite some teachers and adults inability to acknowledge the grueling workload of a teenager, many students must face the consequences of being given too many responsibilities. It can have a considerable impact on their life as it produces an abundant amount of stress and issues, but it is crucial to prioritize physical and mental health. None of one’s responsibilities will matter if they are too depressed, sick, or dead to reap the benefits of completing them.