After a week–long break to celebrate Thanksgiving having to go back to school causes havoc and stress. The three weeks after Thanksgiving break, before winter break are just utterly terrible. Coming back, then cramming for the upcoming exams is way too stressful.    

I can’t get any work done over break or even start to think about school, so when I come back, I’ve forgotten just about everything. Forgetting all that information is stressful because I have review packets for each class, as well as teachers pushing to finish the rest of the semester’s content for the exam.    

Though there is something to look forward to – winter break – it’s hard to even focus on that with the amount of work I have during this time.    

With grades beginning to be finalized the stress of exams is even higher as there is a great deal of pressure to receive a high semester grade.    

On another note, there’s also a lot of worry about gift-giving. Though most people enjoy receiving gifts, most people, like me, don’t enjoy the stress of trying to find the perfect gift for family and friends.    

Lastly, there is the problem of trying to stay relatively fit, amid the overload of food from Thanksgiving. With family members coming back, the pressure to look perfect is real, so this three-week transitional period serves as a time to try to shave off that post-Thanksgiving weight.    

I think the only thing I can look forward to during this dark time is the prospect of winter break, where I can relax and forget about school. Even though these three weeks of stress are dreadful, once winter break comes, the relief will be worth it.