Are you saying that you got homework to do during the summer??

Yes. yes i did.

Our homework is to read two books and write three pages (double-spaced) on each one.

It's really, really dumb. people like me who read lots of books are absolutely tortured by having to waste our time in the stuff they make us read, and since the point is to encourage reading, it's worthless. And those who don't read, won't.

PLus I have to do a couple of drawings, but those are fun.

I'm also studying calculus, biology and european history on my own.

Ugh, I had a summer reading project to do too over the summer. Honestly, I LOVE to read, but this is torture. I read the book, but I haven't done the 5+ page report yet. And school starts in 5 days:P

What was the book?

GEH! Why couldn't _I_ have a dragon for a school mascot?? Seriously, that's awesome.

As for myself, I'm going back to college Sept. 6th. I take two classes at a time, since I'm a full-time worker. (8-6pm!) I'll be doing Algebra 2 (I didn't pass in high school, this is one of those annoying pre-reqs), and Women's Literature. (THAT is right up my ally ^_^)

Blegh. I'm doing Math 122 over here (which is algebra). I passed it in high school, but I managed to do a fantastic job of forgetting everything I learned in 3 month's break and I just winged it on the placement test. I need to get that one over with in order to pass onto an even harder level of math that's required for the psychology major, statistics. Yay.

"people like me who read lots of books are absolutely tortured by having to waste our time in the stuff they make us read, and since the point is to encourage reading, it's worthless. And those who don't read, won't."

Exactly. Reading was something I LOVED until it became a requirement and an essay. Are you in any honor classes? They usually make you do summer reading if you are. And, yeah, it's like they hand-pick the crappiest books on their lists. I found that it is VERY difficult to come up with 2 pages of writing if your mind is hardly into it.

I totally agree with this. I'm an avid reader, but ask me to write 5 pages (a more realistic size for a term paper) on something I could care less about, and my mind goes blank.
Ask me to write something on Foster's however, and I could go on with a novel. See the difference?

last year was my last year of school. they were like "please dont come back" and i was like "ok". but im going to get a GED in a few days.

There was a big list I could chose from and I chose "The Five People You Meet In Heaven". Pretty good book.

Two pages (or a five paragraph essay) was the requirement for English I Honors when I was a freshman in high school. The requirements have gotten longer over the years, of course. Ick.

Yep. The only time I could remember EVER having written anything I actually poured my heart into was a term paper during my senior year. My teacher gave us a list of books to choose from (if reading should be *required* I strongly believe it should at least be done this way) and I stuck with 1984. We were to contrast and discuss the similiarities of that book with a cartoon, comic, movie, or even another book. I picked Invader Zim and just went crazy with it and got an A. Makes a world of a difference if students are actually interested in what they're writing.