Sunshine. Tans. Family bonding. Time with friends. Parties. Fun.

All these words and more describe the typical spring break.

Spring break means a time to relax from work. A time to recharge and let loose. A time to not worry about anything other than enjoying yourself, or what have you.

But what if, in what you may perceive to be their desire to ruin your time of bliss and happiness, your professor *gasp* assigns homework for over spring break?

A cascade of issues arises in your head: Can I finish this in time before spring break? Maybe it’s doable a little at a time each night? Or perhaps I can crank it out in time over the weekend before classes resume? Worse yet is this common fallacy of logic that even I have fallen into many times: I can get this done the morning/night before it’s due!

Whatever your approach to getting that bread, there’s probably always going to be that little voice in your head wanting to ask your professor this one-word question: Why?

Having had the experience of teaching several classes already, I can attest that professors don’t assign spring break homework or any assignment at any time. We certainly don’t assign work just for work’s sake, nor do we do it to torture you and make you miserable.

There is (usually) a good reason why we do it. It could be make up for lost time, give extra-credit opportunities, give you a little more time to make that big term assignment/paper all the better and so on and so forth. I can personally say that the latter reason saved my GPA back when I was taking a Developmental Physiology course this time last year.

Unless you’re a super efficient planner, with the benefit of knowing the timing of the assignment due date thanks to a well-structured syllabus, most students either put off doing the actual work it entails until the last minute (or even oftentimes not at all).

Let’s face it: most modern school cultures, beginning from middle (and arguably even elementary) school, breed procrastination. If you can do the same quality of work in less time (even if that work is crunched in right before it’s due), then you should do that.

Procrastination means all the more time for spring break fun, right?

But it also means you’ll have to work to scrounge up something for the assignment later. And finally, procrastination may lead to a final letter grade that leaves you sick to your stomach, fuming yet again over what could have been.

I suppose what I’m proposing here is go that extra mile needed. Procrastinate on that spring break homework less. Plan better. Be proactive. Remember to not fall into the same trap again by reading that course syllabus thoroughly the first week of your next Spring semester, then plan accordingly.

You reading this: Take this to heart. Do it. Now. Yes, spring break is over, and yes, your grades may not be the stellar level you envisioned. But now is the time for that last push. That “crunchtime” mentality of save-your-GPA month.

See? You wouldn’t have had this hard of a time saving it had you been proactive from the start of the semester. Heck, maybe getting that spring break homework done would’ve helped too, huh? Get over that sinking, gnawing feeling reminding you of your dread for that assignment you might have otherwise put off once-upon-a-time.

Your GPA will thank you.