With the end of Thanksgiving break and another three full weeks of school, a familiar excitement begins to take hold. Assignments and assessments pile up as this excitement grows closer, while the days seem shorter. It is what the students have all been looking forward to—winter break. This wonderful  reprieve during the academic calendar is a chance for students and teachers alike to step away from the  never-ending cycle of work and to spend time doing things they enjoy.

While everyone is looking forward to these two weeks, how each person spends winter break can be surprisingly different. Some might fly across the globe, while others stay home, preparing for yet another five months of school. 

Junior Jiayi Li plans to enjoy time at home during the holidays and spend time with family.  She also hopes to catch up on some studying so she does not feel too overwhelmed when school starts again. Of course, break wouldn’t be complete without time to unwind, and she hopes to fit in a few hangouts with friends. When reflecting on how she typically spends time off, Li shares that her earlier breaks were often filled with family trips. However, she expresses that during junior year the workload truly ramps up, so she has found herself staying home more often. One thing she is particularly grateful for is the absence of a constant stream of assignments and deadlines: “There’s always something due,” she noted, explaining how it’s nice to temporarily step away from all that pressure.

As for whether winter break feels long enough, at least the time offers a reset before diving back into the steady rhythm of classes. Some travel, others rest, study, work, or spend time with their loved -ones—no matter how students choose to spend winter break, it remains a cherished pause within the school year, enabling students to return in January feeling prepared for what comes next.