Summer, winter and spring break give relief to students of all ages across the nation every single year. With a significant amount of time off of school, periodic breaks allow for a “regrouping” of the mind. After months of working everyday, it is necessary for students to take a week or more to relax, along with hang out with friends.
Summer break is the longest, separating one school year from another, and giving a couple months of freedom to students. Winter break, usually taking place after midterms for high school students, is the time for family, friends, giving and nostalgia. Spring break, likely taking place after the third quarter, is associated with partying, the beach and having fun with friends. These smaller breaks, which are one to two weeks long, are crucial to a student’s well-being during a school year.
Fall, however, is left out. Of course, a day or two is set aside for Thanksgiving but this whole week should be taken off for students, as it will allow for an adequate amount of time to be spent with family, those traveling will not be so rushed and stress levels will decrease.
This year, students at CCHS get three days off for Thanksgiving: the Wednesday prior to it, Thanksgiving Day, and Black Friday. Those who travel long distances to be with family must rush to beat the clock, and the inescapable traffic that awaits them.
More than likely, families will arrive the night before Thanksgiving, with an exhausting day awaiting them. With the entire week off, this would not be a problem. Those who want to beat the traffic can, and everyone can arrive at their destination on time.
Thanksgiving, despite its history, has become an important cultural tradition in America. More often than not, families celebrate so they can spend quality time together while having a nice meal and giving thanks for the good things in life. It is extremely important to honor this holiday just as the school board honors religious holidays (like Christmas, for which students get two weeks off). Family is a virtue, and giving thanks often is not a typical practice in most households. More time is needed to honor this family-oriented holiday, especially since many teachers will assign work to do over the break.
When the break is too short, stress level can increase when a student must choose between spending quality time with loved ones, or doing the homework and projects that teachers assigned. While it is important not to forget everything learned before the break, it is also important for students to have a real break, instead of being swamped with homework.
Fall is the only time of the year that students do not get at least a week off from school, and while it is still close to the start of the year, it is arguably the most stressful season. During late August and early September, it is important to get used to the flow of school and workload specific to the new classes being taken. After that, the flow of information comes pouring in, and tends to seem endless.
It is a four month push to winter break, with only a few days off for a holiday that is, frankly, just as important as Christmas or Hanukkah. Students are overwhelmed in these modern times as the race to college is a competitive one; giving them a fall break will help with Thanksgiving Day preparations, as well as ease the constant feelings of stress and boost the morale during Fall, which is usually associated with college applications and an endless amount of work that is just waiting to be completed.
Photo by Lariat photography
