Summer is approaching more quickly than you may think, and reading assignments are beginning to creep into students’ minds. Most feel as if summer school work is a burden; however, there may be a good reason for the irritating projects. 

Students often think of summer reading that is part of literature classes as annoying and unnecessary. Many claim that the two months off of school are theirs to spend how they choose, but they are still given many papers to complete before coming back to classes. Oftentimes, summer reading can even get in the way of usual activities, like hanging out with friends. 

“Summer reading is annoying because it takes away time from our summer, and it is our two months that we actually have away from school,” Ari Shostak, sophomore, said. 

Although the work might not be the most fun, it is meant to help teens remember the information they learned the previous year. It also prepares students for the concepts bound to appear when they return to school. Summer reading helps them to maintain their reading skills and explore new ideas. Other classes, like social studies, usually have a set curriculum to cover during the time period, and some information might not make sense to start with; due to this, teachers assign material to study over the summer. 

“Summer assignments, like reading, provide students with the opportunity to continue developing their skills and knowledge, even when they are not in school (…) Students can maintain and even improve their reading comprehension, critical thinking, and vocabulary skills (…) Additionally, summer assignments can help prepare students for the upcoming school year, making it easier for them to transition back into the classroom and get off to a strong start,” Rachael Bourne, Etowah literature teacher, said. 

Some students have accepted the fact that they need to do the work, and instead of stressing at the end of July, they create a schedule to balance it all from the beginning. Choosing to start their work early leaves them with the rest of the summer free. Setting a schedule can prevent procrastinators from falling behind on their work and reduces stress. 

“[Creating a schedule for summer reading] helps me look at everything as a whole and helps me to divide up my work better,” Addison Bishop, freshman, said. 

Although summer reading might just seem like one extra item on your plate, teachers have many reasons for assigning it. Though it may take some effort, creating a schedule ahead of time can help you stay on top of your workload and free up more days for enjoying the summer fun.