Summer. The time of putting my backpack in a vault; and the stress that comes with it. A relaxing, peaceful concept. But, wait. I blinked and it’s July 31st and the first day of school is tomorrow. What happened to summer break? Where did all the time go?

Speaking for myself, I’d like a little more of a summer break. Like three weeks more. Summer used to feel like forever, but now it feels like a few days. Which, simply, is what it is. Summers are meant for rest, relaxation, and for students to branch out to opportunities that are unable during the school year. A shortened summer break allows the opposite of this; a few weeks of cramming in summer jobs, college tours, and time spent with friends and family. The clock is ticking, and summer is fading away. North Atlanta students continue to wonder how to cram it all in.

The Dubs need a longer break. The stress and pressure during the school year is not able to balance with a short summer break. Many go to camp, work, and visit family, and then wake up one morning and realize school starts next week. Summer is the time to experience new things and relieve the pressure of making good grades, keeping up with school work, and balancing sports and school. A longer summer can maximize the benefits of summer even more.

Most students want a longer summer, no doubt about it. Once students get back to waking up at seven in the morning, five days a week, they wish they didn’t take advantage of those nicer, warm summer days. Regardless of how NAHS students spend their summers, we should all be given more of it. Two or three weeks extra of a summer break is the smartest and most thoughtful way of putting it. Teens can finally fill their volunteer hour log, make some money, and overall be happier. Like many, I deal with large loads of stress from August to May. Just a few extra hours of peace is what will help students for their school year. Our summers are too short, and rather a glimpse of what our summer should look like.

Administrators and leaders believe that our current summer length improves our grades in school. But is it psychologically possible for us to forget what a derivative is with three extra more weeks? Or, even worse, how to annotate an essay? The answer is visibly no, and shorter summers do not contribute to the overall improvement of grades. Rather, to the deterioration of our grades as we slowly burn out.

The Dubs deserve longer summer breaks for so many reasons. Students work hard during the school year, and get to relax during the summer. It is a reward that should be lengthened, by only just a tad. It will make a difference, not only for students, but for teachers as well. Everyone should get a longer summer.