The student news site of Naperville North High School

The North Star

The student news site of Naperville North High School

The North Star

The student news site of Naperville North High School

The North Star

Stay healthy this spring break

♦ Staff Editorial ♦

SpringBreak
ILLUSTRATION BY CONTRIBUTOR JESS ARNOLD

Students and teachers cannot wait to get out.

After a stressful week of projects, testes, and quizzes, spring break simply cannot come soon enough. These stressors are enough to make everyone feel at least a little overwhelmed.

We can all agree that we need the break.

We are three quarters of the way through with what has proven to be incredibly fast paced year. We’ve been challenged mentally, physically, and emotionally.

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In truth, NNHS has been no stranger to struggles that plague our community. Several students suffer from what can be extraordinarily intense depression and anxiety. This has proven, at times, enough to require hospitalization.

And now, as we take our foot off the gas pedal for one last time before the final push to the end of the 2013-14 school year, both students and teachers need to realize what exactly spring break is supposed to be —a break.

The time off should give everyone the opportunity to focus on their own well-being. Students, this means stepping away from studying and stressful social situations at school. Teachers, this means taking a break from grading and planning.

We at “The North Star,” believe that, in a community like Naperville and a school like NNHS, which is often said to put immense pressure on students, this one week allotment is necessary for students to recover. This recovery is critical for social and emotional health. For the next week to serve this purpose, teachers should consider making spring break a ‘homework-free’ week.

However, anxiety issues students face are not solely caused by assignment deadlines (that we sometimes ignore to our detriment). If teachers do their part to make spring break a rejuvenating time by limiting homework assignments, students need to meet them halfway.

All aspects of our health rest, at least in part, in our hands.

We need to allow ourselves to recover over break. This means making intelligent and healthy choices. Ultimately, fear of being caught or “co-cirricular coded” is not a reason why we should be avoiding drugs, alcohol, and other illegal substance. We should be choosing to live in this lifestyle because it’s simply better for us.

And if that’s the case, leaving the borders of the United States or spending a week hanging around with friends shouldn’t change our decision making.

After all, the choices we make during this break can give us a fresh start. On Monday, April 7, all of us can walk into NNHS refreshed and energized. All of us can end the last few months of the 2013-14 school year strong. And all of us, every single one, can start by making healthy choices this spring break.

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Stay healthy this spring break