Don't have the time to read a well-researched article or thought-provoking opinion piece? No problem. Do you need some quick solutions to that DYI project you're never going to get started on, or some useless life hacks that will never come in handy? No worries. Listicles have solved many issues that plague our fast-paced, Starbucks-driven world while stuffing the pockets of BuzzFeed writers everywhere.

So why am I against writing listicles; Top 5 Lists especially? After all, I've written Top 5 lists for Odyssey before. The only truly fitting way to elaborate on my disdain for these lists is to detail it in a list. That's right, the Top 5 Reasons I Hate Writing Top 5 Lists:

1. Minimal Effort Is Put Into Them

As I mentioned before, I've written my fair share of listicles for Odyssey. Are they all bad? No. In fact, a couple of them could be considered "useful" or "informative." The real reason I wrote them, however, is due to time restraints. Every week, our pieces are due by midnight on Saturday.

As a busy college student, I'm stacked with assignments and shifts from my part-time job. This constricting schedule only leaves me a few hours to write my article. Instead of spending a good amount of time researching a specific issue, I can make an opinion-based list that only takes me an hour to put together. Some writers on here pour their hearts into writing quality top 5 lists. The majority of mine, however, are rushed.

2. There Is Little Merit For Writing Them

In the Bojack Horseman episode, "Zoes and Zeldas," Diane's ex-boyfriend is the butt of the jokes for writing for BuzzFeed. "Writing top 10 lists isn't journalism," she snaps at him. While my criticism for BuzzFeed mainly lays with its popularization of click-bait articles, the media company deserves its backlash for relying too heavily on listicles and not offering anything worthy of journalistic merit. I feel guilty contributing to the trash heap of meaningless "Top 5" lists on the internet. I joined Odyssey to earn the respect of readers online. How do I expect to do that by writing these lists?

3. They Have To Be Embellished With Images, Videos, And GIFS

Top 5 lists can't depend on their content to keep a reader's interest because they barely contain any to begin with. To accommodate for their lack of substance, writers include a tremendous amount of memes, videos, and GIFS. While I feel that visual elements add an extra layer to articles, I can't stand the fact that I have to bank on them to maintain on audience, rather than the craft of my writing.

4. Not Enough Attention Goes Into One Point

When I write an article, I can focus on one central idea and develop it. When I write a list, I split it up into five underdeveloped points. It's similar to a short film with too many characters. It's nearly impossible to learn about five characters if the short is only five minutes long. If the same film only had a couple of characters, then we would have more time to care about them.

5. Top 5 Lists Are Too Short

I have way more fun writing extensive lists because I feel immersed in the subject. When I only throw in five points, I grow disconnected and, as a result, I leave my readers with an empty feeling. They want a worthwhile list, which I fail to deliver.

Top 5 lists have potential to be fun, quick reads. I just despise myself for writing them because it's not what I'm passionate about. Even after writing this list, I can't guarantee I will never write another one again. After all, time is a limited commodity, and I'm just about spent. With Spring Break finally here for me, I plan on refreshing myself and coming back with fresh, quality content.