I used the a prompt from a blog that provides daily prompts for bloggers. Here is the prompt that I chose to write about:

When was the last time a stranger did something particularly kind, generous, or selfless for you? Tell us what happened!

Although it is certainly cliché, I believe that a simple act of kindness can go a very long way. Imagine one of those days that the universe just seems to be against you,  and nothing seems to be going your way. Now think about what would happen if a stranger held the door for you, payed you a compliment, or even payed for your drink at a coffee shop on one of those days. Recently, I experienced a particularly hectic day in which I forgot to set my alarm and had to rush to get ready for school, and was subsequently bombarded by a series of tests. With a particularly poor start to the day, it was difficult to keep a positive mindset. However, I experienced a real kindness from a total stranger who had picked up my phone which I had left on my desk. They easily could have taken it, but instead they returned it to me and I was really grateful for that. That event got me thinking about the ways that I could try to brighten other people’s days. To me, one of the best qualities a person can possess is selflessness, and yet another cliché that comes to mind is to treat others the way that you would want to be treated. One of my goals for this year is to be a kinder person in general, and I think that keeping in mind how I would want to be treated is a great way to initiate random acts of kindness.

It is important to remember that you don’t really know what a person is going through just by looking at them on the outside. Maybe they are having a particularly bad day, and I want to be the kind of person that makes there day just a bit better.

As the end of the school year rapidly approaches, I cannot seem to get my mind off of summer and how excited I am for it. This school year has gone by far faster than I expected, and it is almost unbelieavable that Senior year is coming so soon. With that said, I want do dedicate this post to summer and the different opinions on whether or not it is more beneficial or harmful to students.

On the Scholastic website, it discusses the option of switching to year-round school and the benefits that it hols versus sticking to tradition. It begins by stating how American schools are lagging behind in comparison to those in China, South Korea, Germany, etc. Year-round schools are starting to become a reality for over 3,000 schools in the U.S., and the article states that transferring to year-round schools is inevitable because educational expertcs and even President Obama are calling for “big changes” in our educational system. Although most students, like myself,  would immediately and whole-heartedly oppose this idea, tje article explains that year-round schools would actually have more vacation time, with a three-week break during the winter, fall, and spring. In addition to calander benefits, some year-round schools offer “intersession” classes, which you can choose to take over breaks so that you don’t lag behind or even potentially get ahead. Another option is the “multitrack” system, in which students and teachers are divided into groups and each group runs on their own schedule.

The other option would be to stick to tradition. The multitrack system may appear to be a better solution, but critics worry about having to pay for “extra weeks of everything, from buses to air-conditioning and teachers’ salaries”. Some people argue that summer experiences such as camp, travelling/vacations, and visiting places such as museaums are just as enriching as school because they provids valuable, hands-on experience without the stress of a classroom.  The end of the article leaves the audience with a resonating question: The world has changed. Could it be time for summer vacation to change too?

Before reading this article, I would be entirely against the idea of offing summer vacation and I would run for the hills as soon as the idea of year-round school was mentioned. However, I now see the benefits of year-round school, and the potential for extra vacations time doesn’t hurt, either. The truth is that American schools really are falling behind those in other countries. Although many high schoolers complain about excess homework, I think that this could be due to the fact that teachers are forced to cram a large amount of information into our brains in a short amount of time.  So although their appears to be obvious benefits to switching to year-round schoools, I am still inclined to choose tradition over this new system. There is something about having that extended summer break that enables me to prepare for the next school year and relax that I just don’t want to give away. Honestly, I would be fine with either option, because I don’t believe that large changes like the multitrack system will be put in place by my Senior year next year.

So is summer vacation really harmful to students? I don’t think so. It allows them a much-needed break to rest their minds and rejuvinate. But I wonder what changes could be implimented in the future, and if those changes will really result in a better education system and more effective way of learning.