In this article, I share my frustration with academic writing and how it's taught. The focus on rigid formats, filler content, and meeting word counts kills creativity and clarity. Instead of teaching us to write concisely and thoughtfully, we develop bad habits like overgeneralizing just to meet requirements. This approach weakens writing, especially for students who don't pursue writing careers. I argue that we need a new way to teach writing—one that values clarity and creativity over strict academic rules.