By Norah Kelley, ’24

Staff Writer

New Year’s Resolutions are easy to make, hard to keep. Some students at Hanover High School had success with their resolutions for 2020, but some did not. Others didn’t even bother making any.

Paige Dillis, junior:

“I don’t remember making a New Year’s resolution last year. I know it is something that many people do, but I actually never ended up having a specific resolution for last year.  I usually try to come up with different areas and things to work on, rather than just having one specific resolution.”

Maeve Higgins, freshman:

“My New Year’s Resolution last year was to eat healthier. I kept it most of the year, but around Halloween and Christmas I did not eat as healthy.”

Ashley Stracco, freshman:

“Last year it was to keep doing well in school, I accomplished it.”

Ray Tschudy, junior:

“My New Year’s resolution was to do my homework, I did it. I kept it because I needed to improve my grades and commit something to myself.”

Sophia Leary, freshman:

“Yes I did for last year, I wanted to travel more, but I didn’t keep it because of COVID.”

Joseph Fortier, senior:

“I did not have one last year and I do not have one this year.”

As we begin 2021, some students felt confident that they were going to keep their resolutions for this year because it will help them achieve their goals. 

Cassie Lopes, sophomore:

“I did not [make a New Year’s resolution last year] and my one for this year is to not procrastinate and I think I’ll keep it because if I stop procrastinating it will greatly reduce my stress.”

Paige Dillis, junior:

“I think it can be beneficial to reflect on everything and think of a few things to work on improving, rather than making one specific resolution.  I have a couple smaller resolutions that I want to focus on and I think organization is something that will help to keep those resolutions.” 

Maeve Higgins, freshman:

“My New Year’s Resolution this year is to workout more. I think I will keep it because I have a friend who loves to workout and she motivates me.”

Ashley Stracco, freshman:

“This year it is to keep on top of school and do well, and to improve at basketball. I think I will do well with both because they both mean a lot to me.”

Ray Tschudy, junior:

“I have a New Year’s resolution to exercise more and believe me, I’m motivated.”

Sophia Leary, freshman:

“This year I also have one, to travel more, and I think it’ll be a lot easier. We know more about COVID, and we have the vaccine coming out.”

 

By Ashley Stracco, ’24

Staff Writer

It’s a question that students and teachers have been debating for years. Is homework helpful, or is it just a pain? I was expecting the students I interviewed to say that it was a pain, but to my surprise, the answers varied widely. Here’s what eight students from Hanover High had to say:

Brody Leibfarth, grade 9

“In some senses it is a pain, but in others probably not. If you understand a concept and don’t need any more help, then it is stupid. But if you don’t understand the concept, then it is helpful.”

Maddie Kapur, grade 9

“I believe that homework is helpful, but only in moderation. Too much homework can cause extreme amounts of unnecessary stress, but too little homework cannot help the student to learn enough. A moderated amount of homework helps the student enough to aid their learning experience without hurting it.”

Brianna Cole, grade 10

“I honestly have mixed opinions about this. Some subjects warrant homework more than others because you need to master the skill. In math homework you need to practice the skills and develop your knowledge so you can continue on your pathway. It is the same thing with Spanish. You have homework so that you can pass. There’s only certain things that you should have homework for. It helps with the development when and if you go to college. It is necessary in most subjects, but not all.”

Daniel Nguyen, grade 10

“There needs to be a balance. … When homework becomes “busy work” to fill in grades or when homework is taking away a student’s entire afternoon because there is a copious amount of it, no one is truly finding the joy in learning anymore and in this case, homework is absolutely pointless. One can argue that the student is still learning, however, is the student happy to learn? Chances are, no they’re not. If you’re a teacher, I assume that you want your students to enter class with the mindset of “What can we learn today?” But when that same student is assigned packets of homework that takes an entire afternoon and evening to complete, I can assure you they’re thinking of “How much homework are we going to have tonight?” the first 30 minutes that they wake up.

Ray Tschudy, grade 11

 “I have different feelings. Homework is a nuisance if you know what you are doing but it should be optional if you don’t already know what you are doing. It should not be mandatory.”

Bella Kelley, grade 11

“While nobody likes homework, it can sometimes be helpful depending on what it is. Like, if your homework is reading in a textbook, that is very important and helpful.”

Sam Wing, grade 12

“I feel like overall we should have homework but not to the extent that we have it now. I think that we get too much now. I think it helps in the sense that helps us out. It helps us on the exams.”

Nathan Vo, grade 12

“I think that it is helpful when it is not clearly busy work.”

It seems like people have mixed feelings about homework. Students may not necessarily enjoy doing it, but acknowledge that it helps them in the long run, as long as the work is not just busy work.