Like horses lined up to break out of the gates in a race, students become more anxious each day to run out of school for summer vacation. They look forward to things such as going to the beach, sleeping in every morning and escaping the stresses of schoolwork.
The first thing that comes to my mind when I think of summer is relaxing. I hardly ever think of academics over break. The past three years I have had little academic responsibilities; I was only involved in athletics, such as football, over the summer.
Football and volleyball players are expected to attend practice throughout the summer, and Molly Sargent’s AP English classes are required to read assigned books over the break.
Would it be right to say these summer activities have been pushed over their limit? Has summer been twisted into a stressful time of academics and athletics?
Although students may feel inclined to complain about summer work, they do not have this right. They signed up for the AP class or summer sport knowing that summer work was required of them.
The reason I say this is because all of these activities are not mandatory. Every athlete is aware of the responsibilities that come with being on the team; in the same way, everyone who signs up for an AP English class is aware of the summer reading responsibilities. It is unfair for both teachers and coaches when students complain about something that they signed up for.
Now, am I saying that students with sports or academic responsibilities have it easy? By no means. Their summer is definitely full of extra responsibilities, many of which cause a lot of stress.
Can students abuse these activities and go completely over the top without taking time to breathe? Yes, this too is possible. Many times the idea of simply overworking themselves can scare high school students away from the great opportunities summer sports or AP classes have to offer. They lose a chance in a lifetime because they are afraid to step up to the plate and ultimately be fearless.
If you had to climb a tree but had the fear of falling, where would you get? Nowhere.
We are all so fortunate to live in a country that can provide such luxuries. Often times, however, we become too comfortable with these privileges. We are satisfied with where we are at physically and academically, and we do not try new things or take chances.
In many other places around the world, teenagers are asked to provide for the family, fend for themselves and take on heavy responsibilities in order to survive. That certainly makes me think of my summer activities differently. And looking back at past summers, I wish I would have done more.
I hope that I can encourage students in the upcoming years to be bold and try something new over break. There are times when we will fall; however, if we remain strong in our work, we will reap the benefits in the end.
For more columns about summer, read the Aug. 25 article, Camp scare generates new perspective.
