Have you ever experienced that wonderful feeling of freedom? That feeling that you get when it’s Friday and you’re finally done with checking that last test, just opened the door to a warm and cozy house or that feeling when you’re sitting down at the couch watching a movie. That feeling – you wouldn’t want to miss for the world – right? Of course, we understand that this feeling can’t be permanent, but that feeling – it’s wonderful.

The holidays, used to give me this feeling as well. When I was younger and when I was still in primary school, I used to love it when the holidays arrived. This meant running around with my friends, spending entire days behind the computer and watching tons and tons of movies. At the age of 10, holidays were the personification of freedom.

But then things started to change. Highschool. Holidays were no longer a time to relax, have fun and do absolutely nothing at all.. No, vacation was the ultimate opportunity to catch up on all your homework, to finally finish that gigantic paper and to catch up on all the sleep you’ve missed out on. You didn’t go relaxing or watching movies, you spent hours on that history paper or learning for that math test. Where did these days of glory go? Melancholic you look back at these wonderful days – wishing you were 10 again.

But no – those days will never return. As long as you’re a student, your holidays will always be the ultimate way to catch up. And that’s not the fault of those students, dear teachers, no, that’s YOUR fault. Dear rectors, con rectors and directors – it’s your fault. You tell us that we need to learn to plan our work, that we need hand things in on time. But you are the ones that decide WHEN we have to hand in all that stuff. You are the ones that put every test, every paper and every presentation in the two weeks after the holidays.

You are the cause that I spend my free time working on math, in stead of having fun with my friends. You are the cause that I get up early to finish my history paper, whilst I actually should catch up on all the sleep that I missed when I was studying for that geography test. You are the cause that tons of students end up overworked and stressed – you are the cause of those burnouts that tend to occur more and more amongst teenagers.

Yes – feel bad. Please do! While you spend your holidays having fun with your wife or husband, watching sweet movies and having a great day in the forest. Just think of us for a bit. And then – next time you ‘plan’ a test, or a date to hand in a report – please think of us. We used to have a life, too.

But I’m not letting that get me down. I’ll just work my ass of for a couple of days, but I will have my vacation. I’m not letting it ruin by all these mountains of homework – I’m not. So I’m sorry if I fail my math test or don’t hand in my geography paper in time – but I have rights too. And today, I’m claiming the right on peace, rest, fun and free time. I’m claiming the right on a vacation, the way it should be.