Staying up well past midnight, going to school early, and leaving school late are all just a few factors that contribute to maintaining good grades. That shining GPA does not come easily, oftentimes bringing students close to that burnt-out feeling. It is in the best interest of students that if a student has good grades and can maintain those grades, they should be able to take excused mental health days from school.

As someone who has maintained good grades for the past several years, it has been incredibly draining. There have been many, many, many days where I have felt at my breaking point wishing I could just take a break from school. If the South administration were to excuse absences for those much-needed mental health days students would be able to take a break without worrying about how it would affect their attendance.

It is anything but easy to maintain a good GPA, especially if you’re a student-athlete. Coming home from a late practice or an away game past 10 p.m., being exhausted but still having to finish your homework is something that I wouldn’t wish upon anyone. The pressure to maintain those grades overrides that exhaustion and you end up getting your work done no matter how tired you are. Whether it’s a job, sport, or any additional time-consuming activity, it is added stress to maintain good grades. Being able to balance all those factors with school should allow for excused mental health days as a well-needed break.

According to the Child Mind Institute, the leading independent nonprofit in children’s mental health whose main priority is providing evidence-based care to children in need, mental health days are important because they give students time to recharge at home. They specified that no matter if a student is struggling with mental health challenges or just having a rough week, a day off to recuperate can help reduce stress.

Maintaining good grades is not easy, it’s made possible by hours of work, mental breakdowns and perseverance. My personal sleep schedule is nowhere near healthy as I try my best to balance school and extracurriculars, it is painfully exhausting. There are many sacrifices that a student is forced to make, whether it’s sleep or spending time with friends, and for many, school comes first.

I would love a break to retain my sanity and not be stuck on this never-ending cycle of working to the brink of exhaustion just for good grades. The wellbeing of students is important and I believe that students who are able to maintain good grades should be able to take mental health days off from school.