School can be detrimental to a child’s mental health due to different factors such as stress and various academic and social pressures. When students get a break from school, it is crucial that they use that time to take care of themselves. The Thanksgiving break from school provides an excellent opportunity for students to take a step back from the relentless workload at school and take some time for themselves.
When provided this provided break from school, it is essential that students use this time to the fullest. While on break, students can keep their minds off school as much as possible and focus on recharging and resting. Additionally, staying away from social media and electronics is another excellent way to benefit mental health over break.
According to Shann0n Kaiser, a psychologist, “Avoiding social media, connecting with friends, and avoiding drugs and other substances” are a few good ways to benefit the state of your mental health.
Experts also recommend getting a healthy amount of sleep, going outside, and exercising as the best ways to boost mental health. Activities like these help people stay healthy, allow for recovery, and even pump the body with endorphins that boost mood.
Many students experience lots of stress regarding school on a day-to-day basis and cannot wait to get a break from school.
“Over 75% of students are overwhelmed by their workload from school, and about 40% fall behind and stay behind for a majority of the school year,” Kaiser said.
A high-ranked, competitive school with a cutthroat and intense environment, Carlmont especially can create a hostile and anxious atmosphere for some students. Sophomore Prithvi Dixit talked about how he will use his break to benefit his mental health.
“I will use the break to spend time with friends, especially outside, and I will also spend time alone to de-stress and chill before school starts up again,” Dixit said.
In addition to being beneficial to a student’s mental health, breaks provide extra time for students to finish any makeup work or to get ahead in some classes with a large workload. If utilized, this extra time can help set students up to face school better prepared and on top of their assignments.
“Breaks allow students to regroup before going back to school and provide valuable time for students to gain an advantage on their workload,” Dixit said.
Overall, breaks provide many different ways for students to benefit their mental health, such as allowing students to take their minds off school work and enabling them to spend more time with their friends.
“School is important, but your overall health is more important than anything; there is no better time to take care of yourself than on break,” Kaiser said.
