With Christmas getting nearer, teens get a sense of freedom that teachers ultimately hate. We all get a little bit louder in class, while getting lazier with work.Secret Santa groups pop up all over the place and the janitors discover the newest wrapping paper designsÖall over the floors.
Yes, Christmas break ëfeverí will run wild this week. If you ask anyone at Century Junior High School how they feel about the break, theyíll gladly say how they canít wait for it to come.
ìWe just get to be stress-free for a little bit and realize the meaning of the holidays,î said Century freshman Alisha Johnson. ìMy family gets really close during this time of the season and I like it a lot. Itís never usually like that, we all live with such busy schedules.î
The week leading up to break can also be seen as a sort of holiday in itself.
ìIn the beginning, the days get really long and it seems like Friday takes forever. (Students) are all anxious for that last bell to ring because weíre all so excited for the next two weeks and want to make the most of it,î Johnson said.
When it comes to the studentsí attitudes ìWeíre usually talking about what we asked for (for Christmas) and what weíre getting other people as gifts,î she said. For those who donít know, itís tradition to bring gifts for your closest friends on Friday before school gets out. ìItís fun to talk about that stuff.î
Just like the teachers, the homework loads are very diverse and some choose to go easy on us teens.
ìSome classes are good about giving homework, but for others it seems like all the homework out there is getting loaded onto you before you can get out. Itís like thereís going to be no time to actually enjoy the break!
ìTeachers seem the same, maybe a little tired and anxious to get out, but otherwise theyíre excited because, I mean címon, itís Christmas after all and this year we get a long break!î
Most of the staff and students agree with Alishaóat any school for that matter. Everyone gets a certain glow or anxiety about them when Christmas songs start to be sung or when the Charlie Brown special starts playing.
For me, the holidays are a time for family and friends, but most importantly to reflect on what Christmas is really all about.
Sure, itís great to think of the needy and those less fortunate than ourselves, but we can do that anytime of the year. Christmas means ìMore of Christ,î itís the day of Christís birth and should be remembered for that. Not as a day when we can eat a lot of food and get gifts.
During the break, we have fun as a family, but on Christmas, we go to church in the morning and open presents afterward. Of course, itís hard to find anyplace in the church to sit down because of the people who choose only to come on Christmas and Easter. Itís great to go to church on this sacred holiday and to honor Christís birth, but shouldnít we do this year round?
This Christmas, teens, have fun with family and friends, but please take the time to remember why we have this great thing called Christmas break.
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