My advice to you:

In Defense of Reading and Writing:
Why you should do your English homework before Algebra
We read and we write in a language that we have spoken all our lives. We have been reading since we were 5 or 6 years old and probably writing longer than that; so why do we need to worry about it as a class? It is like a lot of things in our lives. We take it for granted that it should come easily to us, that it doesn’t have to be a priority in our education, and that because we can do the basics, we are set for life.
But good reading and good writing is a skill that we will use for the rest of our lives. Success in every other area of education and in life stems from this ability to read well and communicate our ideas clearly. So why do we brush off the class? Why is it that math homework takes precedent over reading our book for our book review? Why do we put off writing the review until the last minute, staying up until 2 or 3 o’clock in the morning the night before it is due?
When we read on a daily basis, making it a priority, we do a number of things for ourselves. We increase our vocabulary and our knowledge base. We become more fluent readers. We come to understand new ideas and concepts. We are challenged to think about others and their perspectives, to critically assess others’ opinions and beliefs. This can be done by reading fiction and non-fiction. When we read fiction, we learn to identify conflicts and universal themes that are also present in our real lives. Non-fiction gives us a better understanding of the world around us. These skills are all necessary to be productive citizens. But we must see the value in not just observing our own little world that is so very limited, but in expanding our world through ideas and people and places that do not exist in Branson, Missouri. Reading does that for us.
Reading has allowed me, personally, to see into pre-World War II Japan and into the life of a single mother trying to live on minimum wage, to understand the desperation of a parent whose child is dying or the violent urges of a psychopath. It has allowed me a peek into Hinduism and war torn Afghanistan. I know about Tsarist Russia and Rasputin and Nicholas the II. I know what our world would be like if true equality among men existed or if we gave up our rights for the “good” of our fellow man. These things have all made me a more knowledgeable citizen in a very small world. They have taught me to look at all sides of an issue and make intelligent decisions for myself. Whether it is a novel, short story, newspaper article or biography, I know more and understand more about life on this earth.
This understanding also makes me aware of the need for quality communication. It is through reading that I can decipher the good from the bad. Clear and concise language makes all the difference. Almost every form of effective public communication begins with writing. From speeches to movies, from comic books to novels, every final piece is a result of writing.
Writing is the way we preserve our culture. Without the written word, we would not know anything significant today about the Native American culture or the Anglo-Saxons or the ancient Greeks. While many cultures relied on oral tradition to sustain their ideals, once the age of that culture passed, either the traditions were written down or they were forgotten.
The foundation of English literature is the story of the great Geatish warrior Beowulf. From reading this ancient story, we can clearly glean the ideals of Anglo-Saxon culture. Much like the first ancient authors, we too can preserve our own cultures which are so diverse by writing our own stories, defending our own ideals, and arguing for what we believe. In order to be heard, we must do so in a way that is clear and concise and in a way that makes the reader feel our depth of conviction.
There are two questions we have to ask ourselves when it comes to writing: How do I get comfortable with the task of putting my ideas down on paper; and how do I get to the point in my writing where the reader cares about what I have to say? First question: you have to write on a regular basis, daily if possible. Second question: it is your job as a writer to find a way to make the reader care. Draw the reader in with your description and attention to detail. Offer the reader an opportunity to learn from you. Everyone has something that can be of value to someone else.
Writing to communicate is so important that every effort must be made to get your thoughts and ideas across in a meaningful way. Thus, last minute writing, now matter how well it turns out, is always faulty. No piece of writing is perfect in every way regardless of the recognition it might receive or the grade it might have earned. Ask the Pulitzer Prize winner if they could would they change something about their award-winning piece and they would most likely find many faults in their own writing. It is the nature of writing that requires constant reformulation and reflection. John Hersey, winner of the 1945 Pulitzer Prize for his novel Bell for Adano, has his own theory about writing: "To be a writer is to throw away a great deal, not to be satisfied, to type again, and then again and once more, and over and over." Yes, even the best are never satisfied!
It all points to the need to work constantly on the two most important life-skills: the ability to read and communicate critically and clearly. So when you set aside your required reading or that 3 page essay until the last minute, when you procrastinate in English class because you had other things to do, remember that the most valuable skills you are gaining in high school are refined and mastered because of what you do in English class. Every other success in every other class stems this.