Arrowhead High School had winter break from December 22, 2017 to January 2, 2018. Students returned from break January 2, 2018 with finals approaching starting January 23 through January 25.

According to Scholastic parenting advice online website students should l, “restart Routines. Kids need time to adjust, so provide a head start. Go Over Ground Rules. Decide when and where you’ll do homework. De-Stressing. Develop a Game Plan. Keep Passions in Play. Summon the Learning Spirit. Set Up a Homework Area.”

According to Care.com, 55% of students saying going back to school after break is stressful and can can anxiety.

Junior Oliva Glaessner says, “Coming back to school is a struggle for me. My sleep schedule got messed up over break and getting back and current on all of my work has been very hard this week so far. Coming back to school causes me lots of stress and anxiety. But with the new year, it causes me to keep myself on track and accomplish all my goals and complete my work. ALthough it is stressful, I am trying to better myself as this semester comes to an end.”

The New Times a reporting company says, “Long school holidays help students clear their heads, relax a little and stretch their brains in different ways,”.

The New Times also say some negative effects of winter break, “Critical academic skills need daily repetition which a modern parent may not be able to carry out at home due to rising demands of work. For example, students learning to read must practice these skills consistently or the teacher will have to reteach some of the concepts if they stay long before refreshing.”

According to research by psychologists Freud and Piaget, “Great psychologists, like Freud and Piaget, have stressed play’s central role in the formation of fully-rounded individuals, so the long holiday achieves this by allowing students explore the world outside the confines of school. The students get to participate in activities that would be difficult to do during a regular school term.”

Caroline Nelson says, “Over the break I had a lot of fun and it’s sad switching back to my regular routine and it hasn’t been the easiest I have a lot of anxiety and stress since finals are so close, it would have been nice to take them before break to have a fresh start when we got back and it would’ve been less stressful to come back to.”

Monika Juras wrote an opinion article in 2016 on if finals should be before after break and she states, “Think of it this way: Would you rather come home from your last school day of the year, relieved that you don’t have to think about exams or studying, or spend your entire break cooped up in your room trying not to forget everything you’ve learned this whole semester?”

Miramontes High Schools Newspaper says, “While it would be a relief to return to school after break without finals weighing over your head, you still have two weeks to get back into the swing of things.”