Every student knows the stress and anxiety that accompanies school: the endless tests, assignments and constant workload that they are forced to balance with extracurriculars and other obligations.  With this in tow, it’s no wonder students, especially those in high school, are against homework.  Considered unnecessary, extreme and even harmful to their development, homework is not as beneficial as it’s promoted to be.

The main purpose of homework is to serve as extra practice for students, especially in subjects like math where repetition and constant application are necessary to achieve understanding. But if these practices are assigned as classwork, is it really necessary to overwhelm students with questions they’re already receiving during the school day?

“Homework plays a major role in mental health because it can cause unnecessary stress,” senior Jamie Wirth said.  “If a student receives too much homework, it could prevent them from socializing with their friends/family, which can ultimately impact their mental health as they could feel extremely isolated.” 

It’s no secret high school students are flooded with the pressures of rounding up activities like sports, clubs and volunteer time for their future college applications. On top of that, all of the homework they’re assigned leaves little to no time for socializing.  Spending time with friends and prioritizing relationships is essential for a healthy, involved mentality, yet if students are coupled with work from the school day, it’s impossible to achieve.

Besides socializing, sleep is another important health factor that’s impacted by copious amounts of homework.  High school students need roughly eight to ten hours of sleep to function properly but the majority of them only wound up getting under seven hours.  Part of the reason for this is because of their workload.  Lots of teachers assign homework that’s not a simple comprehension question or two, but rather packets or lengthy essays that require a lot of time and attention. 

Despite all of the controversy around whether homework is actually beneficial or not, there are helpful tips to manage any type of schoolwork.

“Students can cope with large amounts of homework and manage their assignments effectively by having time management,” senior Madison StaRosa said.  “I think that time management is important because you’re able to work on your own schedule and it can get overwhelming when you eat to the last minute to do all your work.”

Students deserve the time after-school to prioritize their friends after spending eight hours focusing on classwork and other lessons.  It’s important for a teenager to receive the full benefits of their age, and that includes time to do things leisurely and at a healthy pace.  While some homework assignments are helpful, excessive amounts can lead to damaging effects like sleep deprivation, procrastination and stress.