What Break? | Ayush Midha

Just like every other high school student, I start counting down the days to Winter Break as soon as December begins. Two weeks of no work and complete relaxation seem like bliss to every teenager, especially after a grueling week of final exams.

This year, though, I began making lists and schedules of work to do, like volunteering, doing research for debate, practicing guitar, and getting a head start on some school assignments. My relaxing vacation was slowly turning into a stressful nightmare. I realized that too often, we forget about what’s important when we get sucked into the tornado of stuff that just needs to get done. Winter Break gives us an opportunity to spend time with family, catch up on some sleep, and help out in the community. While Harker’s policy of not assigning homework over break facilitates these important activities, other work (not just from school) always finds a way to fill up empty time like gas in a container. 

When we have so much stuff to do, we have to make sure that we set some time aside to have fun, and relax. For me, I realized this halfway through break, and as soon as I did, I spent more time with my family and even enjoyed doing some of the things on my to-do list. For example, I volunteered at a homeless shelter the day after Christmas and really enjoyed the experience. Although this activity started off as something on my to-do list, I felt incredibly satisfied and content after volunteering. I realized that I could be productive and enjoy my break at the same time. As soon as I made this commitment, my break became so much more enjoyable.