(May 23, 2002) — Have you ever started to write an essay and then fallen asleep after the first three words? Have you ever marinated your keyboard with your own drool? Well, I have, and believe you me, it’s not a pretty sight. Well, the next logical question here would be, why does the very thought of an essay make one drowsy? The answer is simple: Most of the time students don’t know what to write. “You are to write an essay on the meaning of life.” What, you think I’m God or something? “Write an essay evaluating your group members. Tell me what they did and didn’t do.” Hmm, can you say STOOL PIGEON? Do I look like a rat? Is it the long tail or the wet nose that gave me away? Teachers come up with the worst ideas for essays, and my least favorite is the ever popular “freewrite.” Freewrite? Freewrite about what? The first time I wrote about my eraser, and the second time I rambled on about the dangers of linoleum. What next? A ten-page essay about how dull my pencil is? Teachers, why can’t you use a little imagination once in a while? And when I say imagination, I don’t mean a word search or a “fun” worksheet. Believe it or not, your students would much rather do a challenging, yet interesting project than an easy but boring word puzzle. Students today are easily bored. Most teenagers have the attention span of a turnip. Why put them to sleep when you could put their minds to work? You all know it’s possible. I’m sure every teacher in this school has, at one point or another, assigned an interesting project or task. Would we as students be asking for too much if we asked for more of these assignments? I know that no teacher wants to see his or her students drifting off into the ever-present world of dreams. So it’s your job to keep us awake. Come on, teachers! Make life a little interesting. Give us something exciting, or out of the ordinary, to do. Either that or make us a couple pots of coffee. Hey, it’s your choice.