Two words, ten letters. High School. Four years of one’s life that is supposed to be filled with valuable memories, learning, and fun experiences. Four years filled with with winter formals and proms, football and volleyball games, pack the house events, and late night dorm bonfires. Four years that are supposed to be some of the best of a teenager’s life. That all changes when those four years are filled with stress, sadness, and emotional distress due to one thing: homework.

   In the student handbook the homework policy is as follows: “The amount of time it takes to complete homework varies from student to student.However, as a general guide, students can expect about 30 minutes per night prior to a class meeting for regular courses and about 45 minutes per night for advanced Level/AP classes.”

   On average, based off of a random survey taken of a few students at LFA, they are spending four or more hours a night on homework. Although the policy states that students should be receiving 30-45 minutes of homework per class each night they are receiving much, much, more.

   As a student at LFA, underclassmen are required to play at least two team sports and participate in fitness. Upperclassmen have to play at least one team sport and take part in one season of fitness. Practices usually run between an hour and a half and two hours. So, students spend eight hours in classes during the day, followed by two hours of practices every afternoon and lastly but certainly not least, four hours of homework every night. With the numerous amount of expectations put on students they are left with little to no time to do anything else.

  According to healthline.com, “In 2013, research conducted at Stanford University found that students in high-achieving communities who spend too much time on homework experience more stress, physical health problems, a lack of balance in their lives, and alienation from society.”

   Students are spending long nights doing homework and not spending enough time sleeping. Lack of sleep and free time in general is leaving students overworked, exhausted, and simply unhappy. School is not meant to make students unhappy and unhealthy. It is supposed to expose students to an education, and encourage intelligence. LFA needs to remember that and make efforts to enforce the homework policy because if not, students will continue to face issues of sleep deprivation and extreme stress and possibly even life-long issues as extreme as depression.