It’s been a good day. I woke up knowing that the next 12 days have promised me copious amounts of sleep and lots of tanning and swimming time. I have time to laze around, be myself and surf the web.

I’m excited, but I have this sinking feeling in my stomach. We hate thinking about it but every good thing has to come to an end. In 12 days I’ll be forced back into the system of drudgery, exhaustion and sleep deprivation. I’m trying not to think about it…school doesn’t exist…there’s no such thing as pressure…no such thing as pressure. HA!

I guess I’m just going to have to appreciate that I get the next 12 days off.  I can finally read 13 Reasons Why by Jay Asher, and can catch up on my growing list of must-see movies – so far I’ve seen The Pianist, from 2002.  Maybe I’ll stay up until 3 am tonight and wake up at 3 pm tomorrow, just because I can. Wait, scratch that—I have to go to shul tomorrow.

I’ll push that plan off until Friday night.

We all hate to admit it, but Shalhevet doesn’t offer us time to rest. Everyone knows that. People always cock their heads to the side and look at like I’m crazy when I tell them that I get out of school at 5.

“I’m sorry, you get out at 5?”

“Yep.”

“How do you have time to—”

“I don’t. Ever.”

When I get home at 5 pm (or later depending on ‘co-curriculars’—what is that anyway?), I jump right into homework. Work. Eat. Work. Work. Work. Snack here. Snack there. Work.

And then suddenly time races ahead. It’s 9 pm! I don’t understand how time can speed ahead when I wish it wouldn’t, but crawl along in that one class that just seems to take forever. And then at 9 pm, I’m so exhausted it’s hard for me to keep my eyes open.

It’s really scary. I’m a teenager—late nights are my thing!  Whatever –  I need to keep my head high and my smile wide because I have no school for the next two weeks. Sorry Shalhevet, I’m just not in the mood for rigorous academic pressure. No thank you!

Thank God, literally, for these holidays. Chag Sameach! J