Mid-winter break. Often, these words evoke images of skiing, relaxing, and family leisure time.
But for many students, this break is quite the opposite, as they utilize this time to catch up on studies and prepare for college admissions.
“I was sick for three days before mid-winter break, so I had a lot of work to make-up. Having a whole week to complete my work was helpful,” said Michael Yi, a sophomore.
An average high school student spends 6.8 hours a week on homework, according to a 2011 study by the National Center for Education Statistics. This can be overwhelming, especially for those who are trying to recover from sicknesses during the cold winter season or who are busy with other school activities.
“On top of all the work I missed while being sick, I also had tests and work that was due on the day coming back from break, so those extra days to get better and catch up on my work and to recuperate were beneficial,” Yi said.
Even teachers believe that breaks can be advantageous for students to catch up on work that they missed or to get ahead for classes that they are struggling in.
“I had a bunch of kids this year go to Outdoor Ed right before mid-winter break, and they all came back saying that they were really glad that they had an additional week to finish their work,” said Tomiko Fronk, a math teacher at Carlmont.
In addition to making up work for school, many students spend time studying for the SAT to make sure that they are on track for their college admission goals.
“I spent a lot of time during the break preparing for the SAT, on top of also attempting to get ahead in my math class,” said Victoria Chung, a sophomore.
Students also spent time over the break deciding on which summer classes or internships to apply for. According to Millennial Branding, 77% of high school students are interested in volunteering to gain work experience, which can help them with their college applications.
“On top of the studying, I also spent time thinking about which classes or internships I need to take part in over the summer to be prepared for my future,” Chung said.
Mid-winter break gave students the opportunity to relax, while also providing them with the time to plan for the future.
