Is Homework Harmful? Survival Tips from Hajra Salim

Is Homework Harmful?
Survival Tips
by Hajra Salim

Raise your hand if you like doing homework and wasting those precious hours at night when you should be sleeping or giving time to your family. Okay, I know homework is given to students so that they can develop positive study skills and it also improves one’s memory and thinking. Isn’t it great? But why this improvement does feel like burden… Maybe because of our perspective- or actually it might feel like burden because it really is burden.

Homework helps in a lot of ways but due to excessive amounts, it looks like a burden. And you know it’s actually quite irritating when you explain to somebody, your tutor or teacher that you won’t be able to do all of this because it’s isn’t that easy to do five essays, a mathematics theorem 50 times and other science subjects (Okay, you don’t always get this much homework but when you get this much homework you go through stress and helplessness and that is not healthy). And the other person says “There are 24 hours in a day.” But you know that you can’t argue because it really is a matter of fact that there are 24 hours in a day but your tutor just won’t understand that you are not available 24/7 to complete your homework.

To be honest, you really shouldn’t be available for your homework 24/7. It’s very unhealthy. You should instead sleep eight or at least six hours a day, eat three meals a day, leave your phones, and go outside and enjoy the beauty of nature and most importantly spend time with your family and friends. But in reality, you stay up all night doing your homework and continue to sleep during school. That’s very productive.

Don’t you think schools should extend an hour in their daily schedule in which you could cover the work and come home and relax for a few hours? That would be calming. Okay, doing homework is actually supposed to be less in quantity and most importantly it should be relaxing and fun to do. Unfortunately, it’s quite the opposite. Nobody understands that bundles of homework is not going to make us (students) work hard. It would actually make us give up. I remember that there were days when I would stay up all night and still not complete my homework and that would make me so upset and fed up. Obviously, I gave up. I tried but it was a lot. Homework is not always burden actually sometimes it’s actually less in quantity and fun. And this is how it is supposed to be.

The homework wars have been raging for years. In Finland, a country long held up as having a model education system, pupils are given little or no homework, in the belief that children require family and outdoors time more than revision.

Let’s talk about homework on weekends or homework on Fridays. Why is there extra homework on weekends? It’s acceptable that on work days students have to cover various subjects and there are tests and stuff that’s why there is loads of homework. But weekends are holidays they are supposed to be a break from all the work and stress we go through in the business days. Right? Instead we get tons of homework and assignments to complete. I just want to say to all those people who assign this much homework: at some point in your school days you hated homework too then why do you want others to experience what you experience. Come on, have mercy haha! No offense! Make a change! Just to clear things up this is not to offend anybody or targeted to anybody it’s just it’s stressful. I understand when you assign homework there might be things you have in mind that are going to help us (students) and they really do. But homework on weekends; actually extra homework on weekends just doesn’t seem right. There should be very less homework on weekends.

Now I would like to share some ideas to do your homework:

Set up a homework nook to do your homework. Trust me, it will be much more interesting and comfortable. You can set up a table with a desk and arrange your books and then get started with your work or else if you want your nook to be more comfy and home- like then grab some pillows and throw them next to the fire place in short build yourself a inglenook and get started. Just don’t go to sleep while studying in your comfy nook!
Give yourself mini treats when you complete the first task. E.g.: When you read a paragraph you get one Dorito to eat. That’s tempting! You can make a checklist of when you will get your first treat and what tasks you’d have to complete. It will make you gain more information and treats. Haha! Just don’t break the rules.
Keep distractions to a minimum. This means no TV, no loud music or interruptions. Distractions will just make you lose interest in your subject and most probably even if you still manage doing multitasking like listening/dancing to music and doing your work too then there is a 50% chance that you’re going to mess up somewhere while doing your homework. So, avoid interruptions and distractions.
Always prepare and carry a homework supply pack just in case if you are away from your nook and you are unable to study in your nook then you have all the supplies you need in a small bag or cup. So, you don’t have to get up again and again and grab things from your studying nook. In short, there is no place for interruptions when doing homework…hehe!
One of the most important point is that try to be positive and enjoy your homework like do something exciting like: try writing with a different style or hold your pencil a bit differently and write two sentences; one with your old style and the second one with the style you just discovered compare them and now continue your homework with the writing you think looks better or if you are confused so use your lifeline “The Audience Poll” and go ahead and ask your friends and family. Main point, just enjoy your homework and find something interesting in every subject, in every topic. Be Happy!
Always say your plan out loud. E.g.: So, first I am going to write the essays then I’ll take a five minutes break then I am going read the history chapter, then after writing down some theorems I will eat popcorns, watch Sherlock Holmes and go to bed. That’s exciting! Let’s hop on to the next point.
Set up a separate routine just for homework. This is an especially good tip for homework refusers. Honestly, make homework your daily routine and not just your daily routine but be punctual and stick to your routine
Most importantly, if you are stuck at some point while doing homework. Please, just don’t stress out. It’s alright. Take a break, chill out; Come back and try again and if you are still having difficulty then politely ask somebody to teach you or else what is YouTube and google for, just challenge them if they can solve it and have fun. In short, calm down because everything’s going to be okay.