Before winter break starts, schools typically assign more work, push strict deadlines, and have more tests–building up a lot of stress right before, and during, winter break. Winter break is simply not long enough to make up for the stress put on students, while also giving them time to see family. Many State High students are passionate about extending the length of their future winter breaks.  

Due to the heavy workload students are given right before break, many feel that they need more time to recover, and possibly catch up on work. Student Virginia Paterno advocates for a longer winter break so students can have time to focus on mental health.  

“It’s been really hard for me, especially when I have ADHD, I need to be able to catch up on work I am missing, and have a break,”  Paterno said.  “Every student, disability or not, needs to have a longer mental break because school’s hard, and mental health is important,” she added.  

Giana Haywood is another State High student who believes we need more time off during winter break to compensate for the stress put on students, especially during the last few days before break. 

“For the amount of time we have where teachers are trying to cram in tests and everything before the break, we don’t have long enough time to recover during break, mentally.  That’s not good because kids are going to be upset, and grades are going to go down,”  Haywood said, ”It’s just too short.”  

Winter break is also a time for students, and staff members, to see long distance relatives.  However, it is argued that the time given not enough to visit loved ones. Some students are not able to fully feel like they have had a break because much of it was spent visiting extended family.  

Student Abdullah Rana shared his struggle regarding not having enough time to visit family. “It’s really hard because my grandma lives in Georgia, so it’s like a two day drive.  My grandma is terminally ill, and I can’t take off anymore time because I got a truancy letter, so they need to extend the break because I need to visit my family,” Rana said.  

Students are not pushing for a longer winter break because they want an excuse to be lazy, but because it is essential for their well being. For the sake of student’s mental health, perhaps the district should reconsider the time off given to students for future winter breaks.