Following the start of the second semester, Harrisites are now taking a week-long break for Midwinter Recess from February 20th to February 24th. Prior tothe upcoming break, several students and faculty members spoke to The Classic about their plans for the break.

Some students said they planned on pursuing personal interests, while others aimed to take time to study for upcoming exams.  “I look forward to attending a Boy Scout camping trip this weekend, especially since it’s my troop’s annual Winter Retreat,” senior Leo Zhang said. “It’ll be more relaxing than usual camping trips, so I really want to take the chance to destress.”  Junior Jennie Cheng shared that she planned on “staying home and catching up on studying.”

Many students also hoped to use this time to replenish their sleeping schedules. “I expect to catch up on sleep and see my family more,” freshman Vicky Li said.

Teachers also planned on allocating time for personal obligations, such as family and friends, that are difficult to fit into their normal school schedules. “I’m going to spend some time with my five-year-old niece and my sister and go to a spa with my best friend,” English teacher Stephanie Burley said. Music teacher Christopher Lee said, “I’ll be working and spending overdue time with my kids as I usually see them for a limited amount of time.”

Even within the break, both students and teachers have commitments both in and out of school. Senior Zoe Chen said, “I plan on hanging out with friends, but I’m still going to have my Queens College classes.” The Steel Hawks robotics team has also been working tirelessly towards upcoming competitions. “The team will be working to finish our robot to compete in regional competitions coming up in March. Although it is demanding, I hope the time taken during break will be rewarding in the long run,” junior Nickolas Koe said. 

As we approach the annual FON showcase, many Harrisites will be rehearsing for their performances in school during the break. “I’m looking forward to FON practices. [I] can’t wait for people to see the performances,” sophomore Xintong Jiang shared. “I plan on taking some time off schoolwork and instead participating in fun extracurriculars like Robotics, Science Olympiad, and FON,” junior Jie Xuan Tang said. 

Photo by Erica Lee