How to Make Homework Easier

Homework is never easy. Even when you’re taking a class that’s fun and interesting, homework can be a pain.  Maybe you have a lot to do. Or you have something else you want to be doing other than homework. Perhaps the assignments are boring or difficult. Whatever the reason, there are things that college students can do to make homework easier.

First of all, create a well-organized space for yourself. For me, a well-organized space can look immaculate, a place for everything and everything in its place. Or it can look like chaos, with teetering piles of books all over and papers spread out on the floor. Depending on the project, I need different types and levels of organization. It’s up to you to decide how to organize your space; sometimes it takes a bit of a learning curve to figure out what your ideal workspace looks like. A well-organized space will help you think, and eliminate the need to go looking for things for a homework assignment. Overall, organization significantly reduces the amount of time that it takes to finish assignments, and makes homework a lot less stressful.

Next, make a prioritized to-do list. Write down what you have to do for the week on a sheet of paper or in a Word document. After that, decide which projects are going to be the easiest and which ones are going to take the most time. Then, come up with a plan for getting the to-do list done. Depending on what I have to do, I sometimes start with the most difficult project, other times, I knock off the easy tasks. Ultimately, it’s up to you to decide what method would work best for you (it’s a matter of trial and error), but writing down a list of things to do is a good start, and sometimes just enough to get your thoughts straightened out.

If the class you’re taking has a textbook, read it cover-to-cover if you can. Use a pen to underline the parts of the text that you think are interesting or important or take notes, if you’re renting the book. Develop your own opinion of the subject material while you’re reading. If you have thoughts about the subject, and know what you thought was interesting from the text, it’ll be a lot easier to write papers, have discussions in class, and get good grades on tests. Plus, you’ll really be learning.

So, in conclusion, Homework doesn’t have to be a major stressor. Even when the going gets rough with homework assignments, you can make things easier by organizing your work area, making a prioritized to-do list, and reading textbooks. Doing these things will make homework a lot less difficult and time-consuming, which will make college in general a lot less stressful. In the end, it’ll all pay off.  




Lydian Shipp

Webzine Team Member