Summer break is a time every student and teacher look forward to and count the days until it arrives. However, one of the things that many students dread is summer projects. Summer projects could be assigned by all or just a few classes. They can be from reading a book to writing 3 essays about the subject. These assignments are often only designed by teachers but it is time for a change. Summer projects created by students would be better for their academical, social, and mental prosperity.

To start with, if students were to create these assignments, academic learning would be more accurate and necessary. Often times teachers can create projects that aren't accurate to what students really need to practice and focus on. A student best knows what their struggles and weaknesses are thus making assignments that help those weaknesses more accurate. The projects would be a accurate representation of what they need to work on. For example, if most of the students were struggling on one aspect of geometry, they would create a project that focuses on that. Plus, if the students really wanted to improve, the project would be more likely to get done. A lot of the times students do not do these summer assignments because they feel like it is unnecessarily difficult. A good amount of these projects are just long busy work that the students are very unlikely to complete. If students were to make them though, there would be no complaints about it being unnecessary. Overall, student-designed projects avoid inaccurate and unnecessary factors. Also, not only do they help academically, but socially as well.

Additionally, self-made projects would make room for social time and priorities. It is important to have free time with friends and family so students maintain a social life. Social lives are important because humans are social creatures and tend to not do well without interactions. This social life is often difficult to keep up with when a student is locked up in their room doing these consuming projects and assignments that do not even help them. Family time is also being limited by these assignments. Sometimes the only time a student can see their family is during the summer. Take for instance divorced parents who only get to see their child every once and a while and one of those times being summer. Also, priorities such as jobs can be jeopardized. Students a lot of the times have full time jobs over the summer that require a lot of their time. Thus, they will not always have time to do their work. However, if these students were to make their own projects they can account for their schedule. Consequentially, having this social freedom helps with students mentally.

Some teachers might say that their assignments are made to help students and there is no excuse to not completing them. However, a lot of them do not factor in the fact that it is not only their assignment the student has to worry about but multiple. This could cause mental strain that overwhelms and overworks a student. The overload of work causes serious stress for a student. This stress is an actual issue that can even cause physical problems such as getting sick. Thus stress can hinder their ability to work effectively. Everyone has a limit to what they can do including these students.

All together, student-designed projects could benefit them in several ways. To start, they are accurate and necessary representations of what the student needs. Also, they can be designed to free up time for family, friends, and jobs that help maintain a social life. Thus, avoiding the mental strain and stress that comes with the overload of teacher-designed assignments. Summer break provides a well deserved rest to students and faculty and should not be any harder than it needs to be.