180 school days sounds overwhelming. A constant stream of work and classes day to day can be rather unpleasant. Making it to October with three school “breaks” (Labor Day and two E-learning days) is unusual, but it has been very nice. The best way to power through these tough moments is to look forward to the breaks in the future. We decided to rank all of the different types of school breaks below to help readers find moments in the future to look forward to!
12. Three-day weekends are so much fun, everyone can agree. However, when a three-day weekend pops up randomly because of an E-Learning day, it’s definitely not as good as other breaks. The three-day weekend we had this last week, for example, was pretty uneventful because of how late students and parents were notified. People scramble to make plans and people might just end up sitting at home. While it is nice to have an unexpected day of rest, most teachers still give assignments to do which need to be worked into your schedule. Overall, these extended weekends can be fun or relaxing, but sometimes they just feel like a waste.
11. Election Day falls on the first Tuesday of November. This day, as the name suggests, allows anyone 18 or older to cast their vote for the election. This year is especially important because it’s a presidential election year. One nice thing is that this is a day off to let everyone eligible cast their votes. It is nice to have the day off, especially near the start of November, because there are no full school days off this October. However, since this day falls on a Tuesday, it does mess up the flow of the remainder of the week. Besides that, who can complain since a four-day week is always nice!
10. President’s Day is always nice since it is guaranteed to be a three-day weekend because it falls on a Monday every year. There’s not a whole lot to do because it is in February, meaning it’s super cold. I always find myself having a chill day with friends inside or maybe heading downtown for a little shopping. This holiday isn’t too exciting but it’s a nice opportunity to relax and have an extra fun day with friends.
9. A half day before a weekend is always great, because the vibes on a half day are always hopeful and exciting. Everyone is super excited for the extra 4 hours to relax, and often classes are not as intense as they are on a regular school day. While a half-day is not a full day off, it is nice to get dismissed at 11:30 rather than 3:30 to get the weekend started early.
8. MLK Day is of extreme historical importance. This day always leaves me in a state of reflection about the progress we’ve made as a country. Seeing friends and family on this long weekend to celebrate is always a pleasure. It’s especially nice because it typically falls after midterms giving students a nice brain break.
7. A three-day weekend because of a teacher workday either on a Friday or a Monday is so great because there is usually not much homework to do and not only is there a 3 day weekend, but the week prior is a 4 day week, immediately making everything easier. Additionally, it is nice to have a day off when other people not in the district have to go to school because it makes it feel even more special.
6. Thanksgiving break is the first long break of the year! Most people travel to see family and celebrate the things they are grateful for. Even if you choose not to leave Charleston, it is still great because the weather is perfect here. It’s not too hot anymore but it hasn’t gotten too cold outside yet. If staying in Charleston, it is the perfect time to spend some time outside before the weather doesn’t allow it. For those with siblings or friends in college, this is an especially nice time because it might be one of the first times you’ve seen them since they left. Thanksgiving is a lovely family-centric holiday and a good break before students start to crack down before midterms.
5. Labor Day weekend is spectacular because it is a long weekend of relief right after the start of the school year. It can be an adjustment from summer break to going to school every day, so having this extra day off a few weeks after the start of school is always something to look forward to.
4. Memorial Day weekend is arguably one of the most fun holidays on this list. Falling on the last Monday of May, it is basically a preview of summer! It is the perfect time to go out on the boat and forget about school for a while. Since this year is finishing early, hopefully, students will be done with most of their finals by this time, fully allowing themselves to relax. Everything about this break is perfect from the weather to the long weekend aspect of it.
3. Now we’re getting into the real breaks where it’s more than just a day or two. Spring break usually falls near the start of April, which is nice since the last break before that is winter break. This is the last real break before the end of the school year and is when the year starts to feel like it’s concluding. Spring break is like a little sneak peek into summer in the coming months.
2. Winter break falls in the number 2 spot because it has two holidays in one break and it is super long! If you celebrate Christmas, this is definitely something to look forward to. If not, you probably still take advantage of this nearly three-week break to see family and friends. This break also includes the celebration of the new year! Staying up till midnight to see fireworks and cheers to a fresh start is so satisfying and is definitely something to look forward to. Even with the cold weather, it is so nice to use this break as a chance to see far-away family and friends from other schools. Additionally, a lot of families use this break to vacation somewhere tropical to avoid the frost. Winter break is universally loved and definitely deserves this number 2 spot.
1. Summer break, though it’s not really considered part of the school year, is a break from school, so we decided to count it. Summer break is truly amazing because while there is summer work, it’s nothing like the normal workload of Magnet, and it lets students have some time to relax after a stressful year. The weather is amazing, plenty of good movies are released, it is the perfect time to take some trips, and overall it is unbeatable. Whether you are seeing a movie with friends on a rainy day or visiting the beach when it’s 90 degrees outside, every day of summer break is valuable.
While there may be other breaks throughout the year, these are definitely the best ones and offer the best brain breaks for students. Having breaks every once in a while helps keep students motivated to do their work in such a rigorous school like Academic Magnet. Though we don’t have a full break for a little bit we hope that this gives everyone something to look forward to for the future!
