Getting to sleep in, taking time away from school and having more time to participate in outside of school activities all show why mid-winter break is a necessity.

Not all schools have the luxury of having a break in the middle of February, but having this time away from school is vital for students. They get time to unwind and not stress over school or school related topics, even if it is only for a few short days. 

Giving students breaks allows their brains to stay healthy in the sense that they are not overwhelmed or constantly under the stress attributed with going to school. “Default mode” was found and proved how it does not matter if the break is fifteen minutes, it still relieves the brain from stress in the short amount of time. This was found in 2012 when Helen Immordino-Yang conducted an experiment with her colleagues. 

The benefits of giving students a whole week off prove to be advantageous. The experiment by Immordino-Yang showed that in a state of rest, the brain is still active which is essential for helping us to shape our views on our lives and divergent thinking skills. This also attributes to the fact students must be in the right mindset to learn and take in information.

Students are still people outside of school and should be given the time to explore who they are outside of their school. 

Whether they relax at home or take their mind off things by traveling, exercising, baking, reading etc. Students are able to forget about their academic priorities. Many families also travel during the cold winter months, and if students miss school, they will have to deal with loads of makeup work. With a break, they can go wherever they choose without the thought of schoolwork looming in the back of their mind for the entirety of the trip.

Some parents and teachers could believe having this break is unnecessary and only disrupts the flow of the school schedule. If February break was canceled, the entire education system would go nearly four months without any sense of rest and time to unwind. Time away is crucial. 

In short, the benefits vastly outweigh the disadvantages that come with having a mid-winter break. We must not forget the importance of allowing time for a pause in routine. When things or people are constantly going, they burn out. Plus, students need to be in the right mindset to learn and take in information. 

We must honor the human need to take a break.