I think students should have a relaxing summer. We work nine and a half months out of the school year, spending approximately 1,590 hours a year in school. Furthermore, students do work at home after school and on the weekends. That’s dedicating most of our time, for three-fourths of the year to school.  

If students don’t take time off, we will burn out. Pushing yourself to do more academic work than you already do causes unnecessary stress, which can lead to resentment of the work, making you more likely to crash and burn. Taking time off over the summer only increases your chances of committing to schoolwork during the year.  

As Hockaday students, we already work very hard to maintain our grades and stay on top of the workload. We frequently stay up late, wake up early and take time away from something else important to finish schoolwork. In addition to academics, many students are also committed to sports or different extracurricular activities, so having time to just relax becomes an anomaly.  

Relaxing during the summer is important because it gives us time to clear our heads, away from the pressure of school. It is a time to reset and enjoy being a teenager without tests, projects, presentations and homework.  

I do think it is important to do something during the summer. However, I don’t believe the best way to do that is by participating in more academic activities than we already participate in for over three-fourths of the year. Instead, students should try non-academic activities like volunteering or finding a new hobby. Students can often get so caught up in achieving the most they possibly can, they forget that you are only a teenager once, and the best way to spend your summer is to just enjoy it.