23 Realities of Reading ‘Break’

Ah, reading break. It sounds nice right?

But is it?

Is it?

I told a few of the high school girls I coached that I would be more available last week because I didn’t have classes due to reading break, to which they all replied with immediate jealousy.

Meanwhile, little did they know that I was struggling on my third cup of coffee of the day after working from 7am til noon, did an assignment, planned practice, coached and was then going home to do more readings, and eventually reward myself with sleep. Only to repeat the process all over again the next day.

It brought to mind that most high school students have no idea what reading break is really about. So fear no more, here’s a little Introduction to Reading Break 101.

In some ways reading break is both a blessing and a curse. Of course the break is much deserved and needed, but it is more so a “break” from having to attend regular classes instead of a nice vacation break. Although there are some people who do choose to go on vacation…

1. Professor: “So is me scheduling the midterms after reading break a nice guy thing to do or a mean guy thing to do?”
   Students: “Yes…no…YES” *One student in particular: “No!”
   Professor: “Why?”
   Student in question: “I’m going to Whistler to snowboard.”
   Professor, jokingly: “Well then, I’m not sorry.”
2. The weather ruining adventures.
3. One second it’s 15 degrees and sunny outside and the next it’s The Notebook rain monsoon.
4. Victoria Perk: Walking to Starbucks and being able to sit outside and do your readings in the sun in February.
5. What is reading break? Does anyone know?
6. Does reading Facebook count?
7. What are we taking a break from?
8. Existential Crisis #1. There is no catching up.
9. Ever.
10. I should start a new Netflix series.
11. Guiltily* watch Netflix while thinking about the four papers you have due, looming midterms, that blog you should write…
12. Then Netflix gets on your case and asks if you’re still watching.
13. Yes, I’m still watching; I just got caught up in stressing about things I should be doing.
14. High schoolers call it spring break…
15. It’s not even spring.
16. R.I.P to all the plans you said you’d make with your friends over reading break that never happen because you’re busy procrastinating in the library.
17. Life Hack: Coming up with research questions along the same lines so you can keep your research to certain topics.
18. When you actually don’t have time for Netflix because you’re actually trying to catch up.
19. Then Netflix disappears from your most visited screen on your laptop.
20. Then the final exam schedule is released only to let you know your first exam is the first day of exams and your last exam is conveniently on the last day of exams.
21. That accomplished feeling of actually finishing reading you needed to do.
22. Then realizing there’s only more ahead.
23. But it’s OKAY because Beyonce is performing at the Super Bowl Halftime and all is good in the world again.

Welcome to reading break.

Here’s to the rest of the semester.

Jess