Why do students have such a strong dislike toward summer projects? Frankly, most summer projects are devised by teachers who do not realize how tedious, painstakingly banal, and unfair the project is. Students slave over completing a project while teachers are enjoying their vacation because the assignments is not due until the beginning of the upcoming year. As a result, either some kids sacrifice their summer to complete the assignment or just decide not to do it. Both scenarios posing a problem, how can schools combat these issues? If schools allowed summer projects to be designed by the students assigned to complete the project, it would increase overall interest as well as the quality and completion of the projects.

A main issue when teachers make an summer project is that funnels creative thinking into a singular, uniform thought. In reality, all students do not think, express themselves, or learn the same way. Students have conflicting ideas of what interests them and what does not. Having the summer project designed by students allows for everyone to express what they want to do with this project and how it can be done, allowing students to be more interested. For example, hypothetically, the project was originally designed by the teacher was an essay on a book they were given to read over the summer. Perhaps a student would rather make a slide show instead to expressed his knowledge of the book instead of a essay. Another student might want to create a video or song about the important parts of the story. Another student would rather publicly speak a synopsis of the book or simply take a test at the beginning of the new school year. Having students create their own projects that interest them lead to increased information retention as well as projects that are as diverse as the students completing them.

When someone likes something, whether it be a person, place, or thing, they care about it more that they usually would. People who like sneakers care more about their sneakers as well know a lot more about sneakers than the average person. Those who have a significant other may know more about them than anyone else. This principle is a beautiful example of why summer projects should be student designed. If projects were designed by students, they would care more because they created it. Using the past example, If a student was allowed to expressed their comprehension of the story in any way they wished and he liked animation and video editing, he could potentially create an amazing synopsis using animation and editing. When a person is passionate for something, they want to learn more about it and apply it wherever, and if they could apply their passion and craft to the project, then, indirectly, they care more about the project. In opposition to the half-done work and even incomplete work, why not allow students design their projects, and see how high-quality the the work they turn in is.

A plausible response students designing the projects is that they will attempt to do less work than needed. While that may be true, students designing the project is not allowing full control over the project, but instead inspires teamwork between you and your teacher to reach an acceptable median. Teachers usually just hand you a paper with the requirements of the assignments. Instead of this, teachers should ask for suggestions of the students actually completing the assignment. Student-designed does not equate to student-dictated projects.

With students designing their own summer projects, not only will quality and completion rates increase, but also the students engagement. Instead of the student slaving over misleading and confusing directions, they will be more interested and more likely to complete the assignment because it caters to them, and is something that they genuinely want to do. As the infamous saying goes," If you love what you do, you will never work a day on your life."