While I was clearing out the shelves in my office yesterday, I snapped a photo of my daughter when she was about 10 weeks old. She was lying on her stomach, her fat, unused feet raised behind her. She wore nothing but an open-mouthed gummy smile and happy eyes that she stole for the camera. This, I thought to myself. This, the giddiness of just existing, is exactly what I want all of my students (and kids) to come back to over the holiday break.
For many 11th and 12th graders, the time between Halloween and winter break is fraught with standardized tests, exams, projects, sporting events, concerts, college visits, anxiety about college admissions, tense test prep sessions, and too many energy drinks ( Yes, teens, I’m talking to you), and the general feeling is that if you can hang in there a few days longer, things will definitely get better. Then, when you see the weekend unfolding in front of you, something else appears at the top of your to-do list.
My best advice for this winter break: Don’t be productive. Just don’t do it. Try to embrace the feelings of the beautiful child in the photo, i.e. find the simple joy in this holiday.
Advice for the elderly
I know you are still waiting for decisions from most of your preferred colleges. Take comfort in knowing that most of your friends are, and that it’s normal to feel anxious about the outcome. Understand that you are submitting your best application, and that the outcome, whether positive or negative, is not a reflection of your character or worth as a learner.
Additionally, you may feel a little nostalgic about your last semester of high school. While I encourage you to enjoy it and move forward each day, understand that your best years are yet to come, and what seems tremendous in high school now will fade with life experience. A good way to prove this to yourself is to think back to middle school. Name three things that were very important in sixth or seventh grade. Are they huge now? Do they look young? silly? Worth a good laugh? Trust me when I say that when you’re the same age as me, high school may look the same way.
Stress and anxiety will not change the future, or make time pass slower or faster. So be here in these holiday moments with friends and family – and in the back of your eyelids – and simply be there. Read a book for fun, get outside as much as you can, check out that instrument you stopped playing a few years ago, listen to music, write a poem. Slow down the mind until all that remains is the simple joy of existence. Getting some sleep (finally) should help with that.
Advice for little ones
It will all be there on January 2nd. I know you’re in the middle of preparing for the SAT/ACT (or starting to), and I know you’re worried about whether your efforts will be enough to get you into college. your dreams. If you’re doing your best in the classroom, and pursuing activities you love outside of class, give yourself permission to take a break.
AP classes, club meetings, and practices will be there when you return in January. If you feel like you have to be productive, just take a few hours and sit down with your parents to plan travel to visit college for the second semester, but that’s it. Most downtime, you just find the simple joy of playing a corny board game with your family or writing in your journal. Separate. breathes. Laugh at dad jokes, listen to podcasts.
Advice for families
Moms and dads please understand that the stress our teens are under is probably 10 times what we experienced in high school. Even if you’re not the parent who pushes your child to fill every minute, I promise you that the academic and social pressure that forces him to be productive at all times is starting to weigh on him. Go easy. Remember their gooey smiles and the silly things they said when they were little kids. Complete those memories by sharing with your son or daughter that it’s not their report cards or where they went to college.
I dare say that we adults have become so busy that we have forgotten how to disconnect from life and live simply. I’m sure about that. Do you remember when your kids were babies and wondered what they would say if they could talk? Remember how they can express it all with a loud cry or an infectious laugh? This holiday, take a second look at the photos of your child you walk next to every day. Help these teenage kids remember the simple gift of being present in this beautiful world. happy vacation!
Bonnie Kleffman is director of college counseling at Access College America, a college admissions planning agency in Austin. Learn more by visiting AccessCollegeAmerica.org.
Welcome to College Corner, where we provide advice and tips to help teens navigate the world of higher education. In this article, we will be discussing the topic of vacationing for teenagers. Whether you’re planning a getaway with friends or taking a family trip, it’s important to make the most of your time off from school. We will provide advice on how to plan a successful and enjoyable vacation, while also keeping in mind the responsibilities and expectations that come with being a student. So sit back, relax, and let us guide you through the best ways to make the most of your vacation time while still being mindful of your academic goals.