People today spend too much time on personal enjoyment – doing things they like to do rather than doing things they should do.

HollyRwan

University: Zhejiang University

Nationality: China

TOEFL Essay Topic: Do you agree or disagree with the following statement? People today spend too much time on personal enjoyment – doing things they like to do rather than doing things they should do. Use specific reasons and examples to support your answer.

[This essay was reviewed and revised by WritersForMe]

Striking a balance between what we like and what we should do remains a challenge for most people. Also, more people seem to pay too much attention to personal pleasure rather than things they should do. However, from my observation, most people still spend enough time doing what they should do.

There are many reasons for people to make this choice. For example, students should finish homework to avoid parental punishment. Here the potential penalty may serve as a warning. Also, adults should focus on their work and finish it satisfactorily to get a promotion. In this case, promotion plays the role of an inspiration. No matter what the motivation is, if people realize that these compulsory assignments are beneficial, they will choose to do what they should do.

Take my roommate as an example. She is the least hardworking student in our dorm and it is rare for her to do anything related to academics. However, every time our teachers gave certain assignments, she would take careful notes and finish them before the deadline. This habit contributed to her excellence in most courses. Obviously, she spends much time on doing enjoyable things like watching TV. But it does not mean that she forgets to do things she should do. Another example comes from my father. He enjoys playing computer games so much that it is hard to imagine him forgetting this entertainment for even one (or ‘a single’) day. Nevertheless, this recreation never negatively impacts his work because he knows that as an employee, he must put work before entertainment.

I have to admit that it is a trend that people have begun to spend more and more time on what they like. However, it is of no doubt that people still devote enough energy to what they should do. Whether there is a punishment or an award may have something to do with this choice. But we must remember that it is individuals that make this determination for themselves.