Ahhh, Summer! Three full months of sun, fun and relaxation that every high school students dreams about from the very first day of school, all the way to the last. In reality, this holiday is more of an extension of school than a break from learning. With all the responsibilities that come with these months, I can’t help but feel less than excited as I walk out of the school doors.

The problem originated with the expectations set in the summer before my freshman year. Yes, that summer. The much debated summer that signified the late-start school year that has (thankfully) been reverted. This break exceeded the usual 12 week vacation, and gifted us with a whole 16 weeks to prepare for our first year of the big leagues: high school. I had virtually no summer assignments and lived every second of that extra long summer to the fullest. It was like a cheesy teen movie where kids never see their families and spend every waking second having adventures with friends. Bottom line: It was great.

Sadly, this quintessential summer did not continue into the next years. Where the first break had been full of fun, the following were full of AP assignments, volunteering, summer classes and work. My holidays were shaved away with each assignment, leaving no time to relax with friends without looming worries of “How am I ever going to finish the ‘Grapes of Wrath’?” These worries have only been amplified as I look to the next break which was whittled down to a mere 10 weeks.

Don’t get me wrong, I agree that summer assignments are helpful in keeping the knowledge we have worked hard to learn over the last nine months, but I wish that there was a way to balance this continued learning with the purpose for the break: to allow students to relax after a year’s worth of hard work.

Still, I am determined to overcome the constantly fluctuating calendars that have plagued the course of my high school career. I will not only complete my work, but also save time to enjoy the summer before my last year at LHS.