by Aeron Montallana

It’s the most wonderful time of the year!

The incandescent glow of the festive lights decorated outside the neighborhood glistens as the night streets are filled with people preparing for the holidays season. While pondering the amount of workload needed to accomplish, deadlines are gradually approaching as time progresses.

Midterms are already finished as we move forward to another chapter of academics. Just a few remaining days before the most awaited season of the year, many students begin to wrap up the semester with the final projects assigned prior to the holiday break. Along the lines of celebrating the yuletide spirit, balancing such responsibilities and personal life could be a lot harder for some students.

While the rest of the world is preparing for the feast and family reunions, many students are still gearing up to pull an all-nighter just to study and trying to catch up with their academic requirements. At the end of the day, does it ever make them feel that they are missing out on Christmas? 

Yuletide Spirit

What does Christmas mean to you?

In the Philippines, we have the longest and earliest celebration of the Christmas season. It is part of our tradition marked during Ber months, starting September until December as a preparation for the holidays in advance with many events and traditions. This shows how Filipino culture emphasizes the importance of big occasions as we count the days before Christmas. 

It is our tradition to set up decorations in our houses such as parols, festive lights, and most importantly, setting up a Christmas tree. Throughout the Ber months, many people begin to wrap their gifts and prepare red envelopes with aguinaldo to be given to their loved ones. As a season of giving, we also give our profound compassion and love to our families and friends through material gifts, celebrating Noche Buena together, along with our presence which makes the celebration more meaningful. 

The celebration of Christmas for Celine Delas Armas, an ASHS (Ateneo Senior High School) student from 11-Goupil, is remarkably valuable as they gather together with their family, signifying the heartfelt love they have during the holiday season.

“Christmas is genuinely a time for giving, whether it be your time, gifts, or company — it’s a time for love and hope to make the season memorable for all of us. In our tradition, my family and I make an effort to be with the different sides of our family; we dine together, exchange simple gifts, and simply relish in one another’s company.”

On the other hand, the preparation that comes before the joyful moment for students also means a lot to them. Whether it may be extracurriculars, activities, or academics in general; the holiday rush still remains present in their lives.

Holiday Hurdle

As the Christmas season approaches, the academic semester simultaneously comes to an end. This is when students start to meet the deadlines of their final projects that will determine their semestral grade. 

However, the proposed school calendar was shifted due to major adjustments caused by the class suspensions throughout the past months. This scenario has brought significant changes to our academic pace, which in turn, makes it difficult for the students and teachers to keep up with the lesson plans and dates allotted for the sessions. 

In order to maximize the remaining days of the semester, some lessons were merged into one whole session or even skipped just to realign the schedule accordingly. Though time is relatively short, high school students often view this period as ‘hell week,’ because of the congested academic requirements while preparing for the final exams simultaneously.

“One thing that worries me a lot before Christmas is the amount of projects and especially the final exam of the semester. I feel that we just need to finish it all by then so we can have a restful holiday knowing that we are done with everything that is needed to accomplish. For me, the pace of acads during this time is very rushed and sometimes–it also can bring pressure among students.” 

These were the sentiments of Tin*, an ASHS student, as they shared their insights about the pace of academics prior to Christmas break—showing how some students get overwhelmed by deadlines and examinations while managing their personal life despite being a student. 

Aside from academics, major events such as Strand Days, Sportsfest, and other extracurricular activities for the student body are also held during the first few weeks of the month leading up to the Christmas Party. These events keep the students busy as they pave the way to conclude the semester.

“Before Christmas break, the last weeks of the semester have brought a lot of pressure unto me. There were numerous projects and final research papers that we needed to comply [with,] which made me mentally exhausted. Throughout the finals, I got burned out to the point that academics became a heavy responsibility as a student rather than actually enjoying the process,” noted Tin about their experience with burnout throughout the latter half of the semester.

Ending the academic semester is truly a long process that comes with a tremendous amount of work. This is a period when time is relevant among students, or even teachers as well, and it’s important to manage it mindfully to make a better result out of it. Although tiring, it is important to prioritize our health before anything else and keep our pace slow but stable especially during these circumstances.

The Silver Lining of Festivities

Upon the arrival of the Advent season, it is indeed a remarkable opportunity to spend time with our family and loved ones while we enjoy the festive celebrations. This also marks the final stretch for students in finishing the semester before they can achieve their long-awaited break. Amidst the academic challenges, it tells us that there will be hope and solace that Christmas has to offer to each one of us.

Balancing work and personal life can lead to great outcomes. This holiday break may serve as a reminder that our lives are not solely dependent on our personal accomplishments and works; it is also among the people that lightened our hearts and made us feel loved. 

“Christmas is a gift itself. It is the time of the year to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ as a Christian institution. This is where we take a break from our academics and other responsibilities as we end the fruitful year together with our loved ones. The spirit of Christmas is manifested through the love and care that we show towards one another, and it is something that we should be grateful for.”

These were the sentiments of Theo* as he expressed what Christmas means to him. While we reflect on the essence of this giving season, may the joyful spirit always manifest within us. It is in the presence of each individual that completes the season, so set aside your textbooks or writing materials and celebrate. After all, those efforts will be your stepping stones that will help you build the future that you desire. This season is not only about celebrations–it is about the gift of life that we continue to cherish.

May this season be filled with overflowing joy and blessings. Have a wonderful Christmas, ASHS!

Names marked with an asterisk (*) are pseudonyms and were used in place for students who opted to remain anonymous.