The Eighth Page

More Homework, Please!

I love homework. I mean, who doesn’t? Don’t get me wrong here; I’m known to be quite the “party animal” at times. I admit to taking pleasure in lighting the occasional sparkler and I’ve even been guilty of taking an extra slice of cake every once in a while. But there is a fine line between light-hearted partying with friends (such as I did the other night to celebrate the advances being made in Boolean mathematics), and the unacceptable behavior of my fellow classmates displayed at events such as “football games” and “dances.” Students, faculty, and all people of Exeter, I come to you with an idea. Nay, a dream. I have a dream that one day Exeter students won’t just efficiently prepare for their classes and spend their afternoons and early evenings completing homework and research projects, but will also rid themselves of these “social” engagements and extracurricular activities forever! It will be a grand day when an Exeter student can firmly say to anyone around him, “I don’t want to go out tonight. It’s a Saturday, and instead of doing homework with friends and risk getting sidetracked, I plan to study alone!” Surveys have shown that this year has seen a drop at Exeter in homework loads. This is unacceptable. Teachers have to realize that here at Exeter, nothing is more important to students than getting to do large amounts of homework. No one goes to these “social functions,” so why have them? I’d rather not have to listen to the latest Dr. Dre song when I could be having a great time completing extra credit Latin class assignments. Besides, I question whether or not this “Dre” fellow even has a legitimate doctorate. It is a depressing age we live in when there are more events for student get-togethers than there are evening lectures on physics every weekend. What we need here at Exeter is less relaxation and enjoyment and more work. I was discussing stocks over the Wall Street Journal and a cup of coffee last Saturday with my lab partner (who, by the way, made a terrible decision on buying three hundred shares of Exxon-Mobil the other week), when he suddenly began to complain that he hadn’t done a decent night’s amount of homework in over a week. I realized I felt (and still feel) the same way. Our administration should feel ashamed at itself for letting something like this slip by. Even things as small as having snacks to eat while studying chemistry or having a classmate with you to test you with flashcards are enablers to this rampant problem – a problem that is becoming an addiction for many students. I’ve seen a few friends this year blow off some extra studying to go out to dinner or finish only one bonus problem on a take home test instead of all three just to get to see a “Red Sox” game. Stop partying on the weekends and get back to work, Exeter.