From Dec. 3 to 20, State High students are counting down the minutes until winter break. Only a mere 26 days, yet students find themselves searching for motivation to get through tests, school work, and various holiday preparations to make it. From holiday shopping to cramming last-minute studying, students are certainly busy during the “happiest time of the year”. 

No matter what holiday is celebrated during the festive season, a universal thought on everyone’s mind is gift shopping. In 2023, Americans spent on average $1,000 on Christmas, with 71% of the budget going towards gifts. And with only 26 days to really shop, it causes stress to all age groups; whether it’s parents shopping for their children or teens shopping for Secret Santa.

While students may want to center their attention around similar holiday festivities; teachers find the period before the break to be the perfect time to cram in all tests and final assignments. While school can be very draining for students year-round, there’s something different about this time of year. Students simply just have to “power through” the extra load of the last three weeks. 

“The time between breaks, is so slow, and I’m overwhelmed with tests, assessments, projects, and everything,” junior Alissa Fritz said. “To deal with it, I completely log out of my Chromebook and I don’t look at it or open it all break.”

With only two weeks for students to enjoy their time off from school, it raises the question if the break is long enough. On average students go to school for 180 days each year; does fourteen days off accurately help students receive the rest they need from school? For weeks on end, students have to balance their homes lives, relationships, extracurriculars, and schoolwork. With only a mere couple of days to relax, students need to respect and understand the importance of giving your brain the break it deserves. Whether that be spending time with friends or family, reading a book, or taking a nap, relaxation comes in many different forms. 

“It feels like everything is cramped right before the breaks, so to relax over break I kind of just do nothing and try to give myself a break after all my homework and tests,” junior Gugu Korzick said. 

Fritz encouraged not just students to find ways to relax over break. “In general I think everyone at State High needs a break from school. You know, teachers and students. There’s just been so many weeks on end without a break,” Fritz said. 

So whether students spend time cramming last minute studying or trying to find the perfect gift, it is important for students to utilize their upcoming break to take a well-deserved vacation from learning. Break should be a time that provides students with the essential time needed to prepare for the rest of the school year.