Winter break is one of the most looked forward to times of the school year. Whether you stay home and bake cookies with your family or hop on a plane and go to south Florida, you can bet it will be enjoyable.

Families start planning for winter break three or four months in advance. Parents will take days off from work to spend quality time with their loved ones.

“When we went to Florida for winter break last year, I remember my dad making hotel reservations five months in advance just to make sure we would be able to have a place to stay,” senior Greyson Marks said.

According to US News, the three most popular winter break destinations are Playa Del Carmen, Mexico, St. Martin-St. Maarten, located in the Caribbean and Kauai, Hawaii.

“I would love to go to one of those places, they sound like heaven on earth,” junior Samuel Myers said.

All three of these beautiful places have one thing in common: the stunning beaches. The beaches have sparkling blue water, golden sand and the calming feel of the ocean breeze.

SHS has 16 days off. In the past they have ranged from one week to 10 days to two weeks. These extra days let students sleep in and also study before the much anticipated mid-term exams.

“I absolutely hate having exams after winter break; I forget pretty much everything and end up getting a bad exam grade, “ sophomore Caroline Veraldo said.

A startling problem arises when winter break comes around. The much dreaded mid-term exams. Students have complained that they would like to have the exams before winter break, therefore not having to study over break and forgetting important information.