OPINION: Student laziness sets bad example

Josh Henry, Design Editor

Laziness is a horrible disease that has con- taminated the minds of students. Laziness shines through in our work, our ethic, and even in our posture. Do you have a hard time getting motivated to do math homework? Do you slump when you walk? If so, do not ignore the common signs of laziness. There is only one way to rid yourselves of this disease. You have to actually get up and do something, anything!
Some may ask, why is being lazy such a bad thing? Why not live our lives like potatoes? Well, the problem is that life is kind of tough. Take for instance, this woman I know who works 11 hours a day, five days a week, and occasionally weekends. Lazy is not a word in her vocabulary. That woman is my mom. Argu- ably, she set the best work-ethic standard a child could have. However, I got a rude awakening when I had a job over the summer that required I work only seven hours a day, four days a week. The problem was that I had gotten used to my summer rut. Every year was the same; hang out with friends occasionally, sit inside and play videogames mostly. I had never had to work at one thing for so long. My laziness bit me in the butt, and it cost me money because I wouldn’t work as long as I could have. I had opportunities to stay and do extra work, but instead, I would leave early. I had been lazy for so long that I was unprepared to enter the work force, to even begin having a real job.
Laziness affects our work, but have you ever noticed how it affects us as people? Not wanting to work can have a horrible effect on basic man- ners. When a teacher or parent gives work to a teen, they must be prepared to take an absolute storm of sass before we will do it. I feel bad for teachers. Anytime they give students a project or massive homework assignment (actually any assignment, for that matter), they feel the wrath of the teenagers. Berating comments, constant excuses, multiple complaints; I have even seen people storm out of the classroom because of assignments.
The fact of the matter is that we are all better than this. Whether you plan to go to college or not, you are at school, so why not do something? Seriously, if we are all forced to be here, why not make it worthwhile? If we all keep up our lazy tendencies, and we do enter the real work force (I’m talking nine to five, people), then we are going to get smacked in the mouth with a big, “You are fired” sign. It is time for all of us to step up, me, you, your best friend, it doesn’t matter. If we just put in some effort, it can change our outlook on everything.