The first break since starting the spring semester, President’s Recess, more commonly known as Ski Week, has lifted many people’s spirits. CdM students use this time in a variety of ways: going on a beach getaway, relaxing at home, catching up on work, or participating in hobbies they have not had the chance to do in a while. Many also take advantage of this break to go up to the mountains to ski or snowboard one last time before the snow melts, which is why the break got nicknamed “Ski Week”.

After a month of hard work in the second semester, this vacation is much needed for many students at CdM. Junior Kaitlin Prendergast stated she “loves Ski Week because it gives [her] a chance to relax from all of [her] classes.” For many students, the second semester is especially hard as AP classes are buckling down, hurrying to finish their material in time for the AP exams in May, which is approaching rapidly. That, on top of the burnout many students experience during the spring semester, makes for a very stressful and tiresome experience. Ski Week helps students relieve some of that stress, if only for a week, as they can participate in activities that make them happy, boosting energy and increasing productivity when school is back in session. During her break, Prendergast “hung out with [her] friends” and made time for some of her hobbies, such as dancing.

Many CdM students also used their time off to go on vacation. Whether it be to the warm beaches of Cabo or the snowy slopes of Big Bear, students enjoyed having the chance to go on vacation. Junior Maryann Withrow “went to the mountains to go snowboarding.” Reflecting on her time there, she recalled that “it was surprisingly very warm but the mountain were filled with powdered snow. It was almost empty, very desolate. We had so much fun; my brother and I were the last ones to go down at the end of the day.”

Ski Week was a great chance to relax and recuperate for the upcoming school months. Though Ski Week just ended, many CdM students are now impatiently awaiting Spring Break, excited for the next chance to have some time to themselves.