Every year, students look forward to spring break. Loudoun County gives them a week-long break from school towards the end of March. The moment marks the start of the fourth and final quarter of the school year, and also the start of spring. The students use their time away in different ways: traveling, working, spending time with family and friends, and relaxing. However, this time can also be a time of stress for the students, especially with the end of the quarter looming. Spring break is supposed to be a time of relaxation and time with friends and family, but a recent poll that was sent out to Tuscarora students posed a question: Is Spring break really a break?

The poll, which gathered 15 responses from students of various grade levels, asked questions about the amount of homework and stress level that the students experienced. The majority of people who responded to the poll say that they spend an abundance of their time doing homework. Though labeled a “break,” the time away from school is notorious for a plethora of schoolwork administered by teachers. Along with the work, juniors and seniors are both engaged in the highs and lows of the college process, which adds to the stress. In the poll, most people stated that they are indeed stressed during break. When asked what was the source of that stress, most said they have to catch up with homework, missed work, and work they have to do before the end of the quarter. 

However, when asked when they will work on or finish the work that was administered to them, a bulk of people who responded said that they preferred to only do a little homework during the break, and some said that they even waited for the break to be over to complete it. School, no matter what classes you have, can be an immense source of stress. The weight of college, grades, work, and plans after high school can cause hardships and anxiety for students, which can affect them both mentally and physically. Spring break has always been something to look forward to, but even then, students have school work piled up. However, the poll shows that most of the students prefer not to use their time off to only work on school work. They enjoy what time they have to relax, enjoy themselves, and spend time with their loved ones. This time away is an important time for students to work on themselves and take time away from the stress of school, and it is vital that they save some time for themselves to help their physical and mental well-being.