March 30, 2007 Vol. 35 Issue 11
Editorial:Procrastination
can
jeopardize life skills
By Daniel Weilert, jr.
News Editor
Buds are slowly blossoming on the trees, people are outside
on their daily exercise, and we gain an extra hour of sunlight. Spring has
come once again and many students are already wishing to get out of school
and do whatever they want. However, school is not yet out, and several problems
are caused by one major thing: procrastination.
This is one of the main causes of decreased percentages in grades, added
with the hectic schedule of the spring months. Prom, spring sports, and other
activities add to the problem of procrastination.
Cartoon by Haley Huffman
Problems can arise anywhere: at home, school, or work. This is often from
not doing anything active over breaks or weekends. The longer anyone waits
for a deadline, the more he or she falls behind and has to work frantically
at the end to complete it.
Cheating somtimes becomes common for students who put off their assignments
until right before class. Cheating only increases the chances of receiving
a poor grade. Teenagers need to practice getting their work done ahead
of time. Mental notes or writing to-do lists can help remind students to
finish
whatever they may have forgotten otherwise.
Students may have trouble fighting off procrastination because of the several
commitments that they have to make toward themselves and their family.
After countless hours of sports practices or hours spent working, they
might turn
a deaf ear to their parents and teachers when talking about assignments.
An overabundance of hard work can take a toll on teenagers. But, they must
also be prepared for the handicaps that procrastination will place on them.
Procrastination can jeopardize life skills and how students may make a
living right now and in the future. Resisting the urge to give up and to
sit back
will save students from being a stuck in the mud. Only with this can students
be successful in their grades and social life. They should focus on their
objectives and never sway in their attempts to fully complete them.
Last quarter still counts
(Pro)
By Melany Megenity, jr.
Opinion Editor
Spring Break has come and passed. Now that it is over, students
have summer vacation on the mind. Instead of paying attention to schoolwork,
many students are probably making plans of what to do this summer.
I believe that even though the school year is ending, students should still
put in a 200 percent effort on their schoolwork. No matter what time of the
year it is, whether the beginning, middle, or end, all of the grades matter
and are going to determine a teenager’s final grades. These final grades
go on students’ transcripts and are viewed by colleges.
Students tend to slack off after coming back from anything longer than a
two-day weekend. Occasionally students have three-day weekends, which also
often just adds another day for students to procrastinate and put off doing
homework until the day before they have to go back to school.
Between the end of Spring Break and the beginning of summer vacation, students
have two months of classes and homework. To some people that sounds like
plenty of time, but that is also plenty of time for a grade to make a huge
landslide. Just a few incomplete assignments can send a student’s grade
into a downward spiral.
Many students tell themselves at the beginning of the year that they will
get good grades for the year. Yet by the end of the year, students forget
the effort they have to put in for that to happen. The final two months takes
a big toll on the final grade. Nobody wants to affect that with laziness.
If students make the effort to keep their grades up for the whole year, why
start slacking within the last two months?
Slacking
off is not quitting (Con)
By Christy Splechter, fr.
Reporter
During the spring, the weather becomes warmer and people
like to be outside. At this time of year, it is acceptable for students
to slow down on their work and take it easy. It is close to the end of
the year, and nobody wants to be worried about anything.
Teachers do not assign work just to make everybody mad; it keeps everybody
going for the rest of the year. If they did not hand out work, then slacking
off occurs and that leaves the opportunity to fail. Students should make
sure they complete the assignment, and then go enjoy the spring weather.
Students should keep up in class. Then they do not have their parents and
other people nagging them and telling them to do their homework. If students
do not get their homework done, then they may be grounded. Nobody wants
to be grounded toward the end of the year and close to summer vacation.
The weather is probably going to be really nice and being grounded may
mean not going outside or having fun with friends. Still, students should
not play around late at night and not get their homework done. That would
bring everybody’s grade down a lot also.
Just because the season is changing, it does not mean student’s should
slack off completely; it means still do the work and finish it so that everybody
can have a nice summer. Students need to learn how to balance school work and
fun. Relaxing and taking it easy is a good thing to do in the spring, but make
sure to complete homework assignments first.
Review: Appearance can affect
America’s top idol choice
By Chantel Verren, so.
Reporter/photographer
Every week, thousands of Americans tune in to American Idol.
After this week’s performances on American Idol, there were a few ways
the voting could have gone, and yet those with voices that were not so good
stayed.
Like always Ryan Seacrest, continues to try to turn things around by pulling
some trickery to throw the viewer off who was really going to leave the show.
He calls a name in a way that makes people think that the person they want
to stay is getting voted off, but in all actuality the good one’s are
really going home. The show would be better if Seacrest got straight to his
point instead of raising so much suspense.
Aside from that, my question is, are people really voting for the best voices?
Sometimes it seems like people vote because of a person’s image rather
than talent. Take Sanjaya, every week he tries to do something with his hair
now because he used to get only a few votes. Now he has more fans and has
a better chance of staying on the show.
As for the judges, Simon is more lenient this year which makes the judges
comments not as entertaining, but he is still full of a few biting comments.
In the end, it does not matter what the judges say anyway because it is America
who ultimately votes.
What do you procrastinate about? Why?
 |
 |
Sami Kerns, sr., “A lot
of things I don’t feel like doing because I just don’t
want to do it at that moment in time.”
|
Justin Lytle, jr., “Homework,
because I just don’t really want to do it.”
|
 |
 |
Paige Murrell, so., ““I
delay my chores because I would rather do something that entertains
me.”
|
Brandon Womeldorff,
fr., “[I procrastinate about] school stuff [like]
homework.”
|
 |
|
Matt Kerr, Ag. instructor, “Ask me later.” |
|
Back to Cubtracks