Spring break is only a few days away for Green Hope students, and tensions are heavy in the air as high schoolers rush to turn in missing work or attend last minute SMART lunches. But, with all this anticipation in the air, it can lead one to wonder why students are in such a rush to leave behind such a familiar atmosphere.
It is a known fact that school can add a lot of stress to students, especially as the work begins to pile on. Sydnee Joyner (‘30) shared her insight on the necessity of a week-long break from life at school: “It is important for students to get a break because students shouldn’t be in school every single day.” An overbearing school schedule can add stress to students, and that stress, accompanied by early mornings, can make it hard to be completely present.
A study done by the National LIbrary of Medicine proclaimed that “when the school environment functions as a stressor, it can result in long-term reduced self-esteem and constant anxiety among students.” It is important that the adolescent mind gets a break every now and then or permanent effects regarding how they operate can come into harm.
“I have to wake up at 5:00 am for school every day, so that doesn’t help my sleep schedule very much,” shared Joyner. Green Hope, like many other high schools in Wake County, starts at 7:25 am and a majority of buses run earlier than that. Bus routes can be spotted outside school doors before 6:30 am, which translates to a majority of students waking up an hour earlier.
Karuna Shanmugam (‘26), who will be spending her spring break in Georgetown, Washington D.C with her sister, shared how she appreciated her time off from school. “I can have a more lax sleeping schedule and spend more time going out with my family and friends,” stated Shanmugam. Spring break can be a time to step back from responsibilities for a moment of reprieve with friends and family.
With a multitude of responsibilities to take care of during school, such as clubs, sports or other commitments, it is important to take a break. Mr. Samuel Bernhard, an English teacher here at Green Hope will be at home during spring break accomplishing a to-do-list for tasks around the house. Bernhard shared why he thinks it is important for someone to have a break from day to day work, saying, “You can lose focus and you’re not learning as much or you could get grumpy with people you usually see.” Having time to step back and reset from a usual routine is extremely important if students want to be able to fully function while at school.
Breaks are important for everyone, especially when work starts to become stressful or you get too trapped in a day to day routine. Once that happens, it is valuable to have time to yourself so you can step back to rest and recharge. As spring break approaches, students and staff should take the opportunity to relax so they can return with enlightened vigor for school once again.
