Features

5 Things to Look Forward to After the Holiday Season

Claire Quigley, Opinions Editor • January 11, 2013

1. Dances. Girls wake up at the crack of dawn to prepare themselves for the magical nights of Counties and Red and Whites. They spend hundreds of dollars on makeup, hair, dresses, shoes, etc. Some people wonder though, is it really worth it in the end? Senior Grace Garrity says, “Counties was amazing. Like actually so perfect, it just makes me ten times more excited for Red and Whites.”

2. February break. Now that the franticness of the holiday season has passed, future days off from school can be spent relaxing by the fire, cuddling up with a book, or watching reruns of a favorite TV series. Senior Matty Campbell says, “Yeah I love February break, I think it comes at a good time in the year when everyone really needs it.” No more hours will be spent trapped in long lines at the mall for last minute gifts, or slaving away in the kitchen for a holiday dinner. February break is the optimal vacation for relaxation, and it’s encouraging to look forward to during the stress of midterms.

3. The end of Midterms. Although the actual midterm tests themselves are not something to look forward to, finishing that last midterm and placing that number two pencil onto the desk is one of the best feelings of the school year. Students can’t help but spend all first semester dreading midterms, but after getting through them, it will be time to celebrate. This is especially true for freshmen at Staples who are handling the stress of midterms for their first time. Freshman Maddie Gray says, “I’m just really stressed right now so when midterms are over i’ll be really relieved but I think still tired”

4. Valentine’s Day. This day stands alone in the month of February, away from the rush of the major holiday season. Although these festivities target the lovers of the world, Valentine’s day is still fun for any singletons out there. In elementary school, it meant a card from at least 15 classmates, often with a lollipop attached. Although 15 lollipops isn’t a guarantee at Staples, most students are bound to come across at least one yummy treat, and any day with free candy is a day to look forward to.

5. Sports. Now that the winter sports season is almost halfway through, Staples athletes can get prepared for the spring season. Varsity lacrosse player Jenna McNicholas says, “I’ve been waiting all year to get back with my team. We’re like a family, It’s awesome.” Springtime is also much more forgiving for all of the superfans of Staples. McNicholas says, “Yeah I think weather definitely plays a factor in the turnout at our games. It’s pretty warm by the middle of the season, so sitting up on the hill at Ginny Parker watching a game is really nice.”

About the Contributor

Claire Quigley, Opinions Editor

Claire Quigley ’14 is an opinions editor on Inklings Newspaper. She has many hobbies that include dance, lacrosse, and is an active member of many clubs. Claire’s main focus for the past three years has been giving back to both her own community, and others as well. She has been apart of her church’s youth club for almost three years with many of her friends. This past summer, she had the amazing opportunity to help the less fortunate in the Dominican Republic. Claire and her youth group helped build houses, and teach many children who do not have the opportunity for an education speak English. “Those 10 days changed my life, I felt great each and every day because I knew I was making a difference.” said Quigley ’14. Aside from traveling to the Dominican, Claire and her youth group have also helped locally around Connecticut. She has helped build gardens, feed the homeless, and raise money for causes she believes in. She has put in many hours towards her youth group, and truly believes they are helping the world one project at a time. Besides Claire being a part of her youth group outside of school, she also enjoys writing both outside and inside school. This year Claire will be finishing her third year on Inklings and is excited to write many articles for both the paper and the web. Claire’s favorite article she wrote was “Where do I upload my Pictures?”