On Sept. 10, 2017, students all around the metro Atlanta area heard a buzz on their phone that would change their school year. This buzz was the official announcement of the much anticipated closing of APS schools for Hurricane Irma. This delay of school lasted up until Sept. 13, leaving North Atlanta Warriors with an abundance of unexpected free time. From heading to work to hanging out with friends at the mall, these Warriors did not let their break go to waste.

For sophomore Lilly Nail, the break was not as relaxing as she had hoped. Nail’s power went out for three days, spoiling all of her food and forcing her to stay in a hotel. Luckily, Nail had work at her family’s store to distract her from the anxiety of moving out for a few days and trying to keep up with homework.

Others had a much more chill break. Junior Justice Arnold stayed holed up at home playing video games, while Sophomore Victoria Vuicich went to the mall with friends. No matter what they did, all the Warriors agreed that the break was definitely much  needed. “I had a lot of college applications and work to catch up on, so it was such a nice time to relax,” said Senior Audrey Blanchard.

Homework was definitely a priority for many students. For every “No School!” notification, tons of Google Classroom and Remind101 messages followed shortly thereafter. While students didn’t jump for joy after seeing these messages, they understood that keeping up with schoolwork is essential for acing all of those standardized tests at the end of the year. “I didn’t like having to do so much work over the break, but I also understood how important it is to stay on track,” said sophomore Carolina Mendez.

While some students decided to use their time to hang out with friends while others were cramming for tests, almost everyone can agree that the break was much needed. While no one knew how long this delay from school would last, the Warriors sure made the most of their time.