One of the best parts about going back to school in the fall is knowing that you can start your countdown to Thanksgiving. After working your butt off in classes for three months, there is nothing more welcome than the start of Thanksgiving break. One glorious week off of school where you don’t have to wake-up early, you can relax all day and spend every night out with your friends. However many teachers at Severna Park High, and I’m sure other schools, have decided that a break is not a break without a project or five. Every year it is the same thing, the week leading up to Thanksgiving break is full of anticipation, as the week draws to a close, and your teachers have said nothing about any work over the holiday you think you’re in the clear. Until Friday, when teachers announce that you have to read the entire first half of a Scarlett Letter and then write a six page paper analyzing Hawthorne’s symbolism, or you have a packet of 200 algebra problems to “keep your brain sharp” while you’re eating your turkey and pumpkin pie.

It’s really not fair; teachers say you have all of break to accomplish these tasks, but lets be serious, you have all of the Sunday night before coming back to do them. And when every teacher is doling out assignments like it’s going out of style, you get stuck with a lot of unnecessary work. Many of the teachers I have always say that we shouldn’t complain about the amount of work we get because they are the ones who have to grade it, but if they don’t want to grade more assignments how 'bout not giving them in the first place? In my opinion, a holiday break should be just that; a rest period where you can get your mind in order and prepare yourself for the next few weeks of school. As students we should be out having fun, spending time with our friends and family, not huddled away in some corner mapping the Silk Road of ancient China.

Maybe someday in the future a break will actually mean no school work. But until then, students are left counting down the days until Christmas, when I’m sure there will be even more work. Now I wish I could continue writing about my opinions on school work over break, but I have to go start my English project.