That's pretty interesting. My guidance counselour told me specifically that they prevented early graduation but never the reason for it. I remember having an entire trimester that was basically electives between the classes I needed to graduate.
Berlin, Germany (I was there when the Wall came down. Present. At the Wall, beer in hand, being kissed and hugged by German men and woman as they sobbed and laughed with joy and exaltation.) Okinawa, Japan Bedford, England ... the list goes on. It may sound like a charmed life, Nick, but for everything there is a cost.
Hey, it doesn't get better than sun and beach. I've been "landlocked" since March (and counting) and I feel like I've lost a limb.
So, then, you don't want to know about this little hidden beach within 15 min of my house on the old Ramey AFB? It's super nice, but you kinda' have to go on the weekends because on weekdays it's a little bit "cruisie" since it's super hidden. That's a ruin of an old lighthouse there in the background. Spoiler: Playita
Ach, there'll be sharks.... And coconuts falling on your head. Here's the beach where I'll be hanging out next week! Balnakiel beach, near Durness, Scotland's north coast ...ya beauty... sharks are all frozen and the only coconuts are contained in the chocolate shop in the nearby village.... Spoiler My own painting of the same scene ...more or less... different day, higher tide, slightly different viewpoint Spoiler
My daughter lives in Australia (and all Australian cities are on the coast - almost) so can get to the beach regularly...but you can't go swimming...not because of the sharks or salt-water crocodiles (although they have those) but because of the jellyfish...
I grew up swimming in Lake Huron. Dammit. I won't swim anywhere there are sharks OR jellyfish, or salt-water crocs, or anything that's likely to sting me, bite me, stab me or see me as lunch. Nope. My swimming days are done.
.... and to bring things back on topic. Beach activities are very, very important during spring break, which in America hover somewhere around the Easter holiday. Some schools get only one week, some get two, some the week ending with Easter Sunday, and some the following week. It depends. And if you live anywhere where the coast is viably accessible, that's where you head. I don't know what kids who are really landlocked do. I suppose if they have money, the beach, and if not then some lake or river activities.. maybe? Having spent many, many years in Florida where Daytona Beach and Fort Lauderdale are mega-hot-spots for spring-breakers, it was very much a thing of which I was aware growing up.
I was born in and grew up in Daytona Beach, I miss it! Definitely good memories- as for Spring Break there are distinct times certain people come- Canadian Spring Break, College Spring Break, High School Spring Break, BCR (black college reunion), etc.
I think I'm too old for this. We didn't have spring break. I graduated from high school in 1967. I was thinking about this the other day, actually. If memory serves me right, we started school the day after Labor Day. We got Thanksgiving day off (not the Friday, just the Thursday.) We had a couple of weeks at Christmas time. Then I don't remember any spring holidays at all, although I do seem to remember getting Good Friday afternoon off. We had a couple of 'in service' days where the teachers met parents, etc. But that's it. We got off school for the summer holidays some time during the first week of June. The concept of Spring Break didn't enter my life until I started at college.
Well Spring Break can be shortened or lost altogether if the school goes over the limit on its allotted number of snow days.
Ah, snow days Ah, snow days. We sure as hell got those! We didn't end up making them up at the end of the year, though. It was just a bonus day off. Must have driven the teachers nuts, though.