Sidney Gonzalez
News Editor
As spring break comes to a close, some of us might think back to what we had planned to do, but was pushed away to not contribute further to the current pandemic.
I was personally excited since last Christmas because I get sort of claustrophobic when I spend too long in a city environment. My dad was saving his work vacation for spring break, and my brother was not as excited as we were to spend the break at Yosemite National Park.
However, as we know, quarantine kicked in, and all plans for spring break were replaced with staying home. Spring break is typically a time where students take a break from stressful school work and the general chaotic nature of school. This time, unlike winter break or summer break does not have an elongated time period where students have all the time to spare doing work assigned.
Although we are at home, I think it is important that teachers also take into account that this week is still a break. Even if classes are now online, we are still receiving assignments from all teachers and some are giving more work in the same amount of time than they would during normal classes. Not only is classwork an issue, but at home, students with still working parents have siblings to take care of, houses to clean daily, and meals to cook. Anxieties of the pandemic itself and stress caused due to claustrophobia of staying inside.
Personally, I have felt uneasiness in not going outside, since I rely on fresh air and the sun to keep me calm. However, due to the news spreading more fear than information, I have felt my anxiety skyrocket and affect every second of my life. Prior to the pandemic, I was improving the way that my anxiety affects my productivity and general daily life. One of the benefits that I’ve had during this break has been being able to talk more to my friends who live in different time zones and encourage me to keep a calm mentality.
I think that in times like these, it is important for teachers to recognize students’ and students to recognize teachers’ feelings and anxieties and allow some time for each other to relax and understand the burdens that each is facing during these hard times.