Education Focus: Winter Break

Today is Monday, January 4. For many American students in elementary school and high school, it is the first school day of the new year. This year, most students’ Christmas vacation (here in Illinois) was from 12/21 through 1/1. This means that their last day of school before Christmas was 12/18, and their first day back to school was 1/4.

Schools generally give about two weeks’ vacation around Christmas time. So most students get two weeks off to relax, get together with friends, and maybe go on a family vacation. Some families go to Florida or someplace warm for a Christmas vacation. Other families like spend their winter vacation skiing or doing some other outdoor winter activity. This year, because of the poor economy, most families probably stayed home and enjoyed time with one another and with friends.

College and university students usually have a longer Christmas break. Their semester ends around the second week of December. After they finish their final exams, they head home. It is very convenient to have the finals prior to winter break. Then students don’t have to study on their vacation. Some college students might take the opportunity to earn some money by working on their Christmas break. But many college students spend their winter vacation sleeping late (“sleeping in”), enjoying Mom’s home cooking, meeting with friends who are attending other colleges or universities, and relaxing.

Christmas vacation is a good time for students to relax and have some fun before they go back to school and work hard in the spring semester.