When you think about school in Singapore, you would often think of the stressful education system. Students are working or studying round the clock, all year long, just to be on par in the competitive chase.
School is tough for students and every student will definitely look forward to the school holidays where they will have more time.
But teachers and parents might often get worried that the pause in their studies will cause the students to get distracted and lose their momentum in studying, but there are actually important benefits to the school holidays.
Release stress
Stress will definitely accumulate throughout the school term and it is important for students to make a conscious effort to relieve pent up emotions to prevent burnouts.
As directly translated from the Chinese saying: “To rest is to prepare for a longer journey.” Students need to recharge their mental batteries so that they can start the new term stronger and with more drive.
Mental health should always be a priority. When they reach the point of burnout, it can really permanently affect their attitude towards their academics in future.
Students need not always be productive all the time. They need their occasional breaks to just relax and do what they like.
Build on connections
Once the school holidays are around the corner, it is instinctual for students to want to hang out with their friends, even if it’s just for fun.
Parents may place too much focus on academics and assume that socialising is a waste of time and overlook its importance.
Spending time with their friends can be beneficial as they form connections, build their network, gain knowledge, practise social skills, etc.
Family bonding is also often overlooked and taken for granted.
The school holidays are a great opportunity to spend time as a family, as it is often compromised when the children have school.
Putting in the effort to improve family relationships is important so that the student can feel that they have a more safe and secure support system.
Picking up new skills/hobbies
Students can use their school holidays to continually improve themselves.
They can learn many new things and expand their knowledge and exposure.
Community centres provide a good platform to learn at an affordable price.
They offer many enrichment classes such as dance, chess, etc. Students can even do sports as they are beneficial for their physical health.
As the saying goes: “Books open windows to the world and have the power to transform lives”. Students can also enrich themselves by reading. You can always learn something new from a new book.
Earn money
Some students see school holidays as an opportunity to earn extra finances.
They can help to alleviate their parents’ financial burden or just earn some extra cash to have fun or buy something for themselves.
It is also useful for students to gain job experience at a young age as it can aid them in their future job search.
Students should take advantage of their young age to try out different types of jobs and figure out their interests and the pros and cons of each industry.
Catch up on work
With the steep learning curve and heavy syllabus, students are so busy during their school days that they’re struggling to even keep up with their classes or complete their homework.
Though the school holidays are ironically meant for students to rest, many students use them to propel themselves further in their academics because no doubt, it helps them to not be as stressed when the school term comes back around.
If they need extra help, they can even sign up for tuition and crash courses that can help them to fill in the gaps of whatever they struggled to understand in school.
Conclusion
During school holidays, students may still have to do homework but they will have a lot more free time as they don’t have classes.
It is crucial that students get to relax and recharge and accomplish things that they normally can’t find the time to when they have school.
Ultimately your holidays are what you make out of them. You can choose to have a breather, improve yourselves or alleviate your workload from school.
Want to know what else students can do during their holidays? Read our other articles:
Fun Activities for Children in Singapore During September School Holidays
31 Amazing Singapore School Holiday Activities to Keep Your Kids Occupied
Activities for Kids during June & December Holidays
6 Things You Can Do For Your Kids During The Year End Holidays To Prep Them For 2018
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