It was Christmas Eve of 2019, and although the holiday break was going great, my mind kept circling back to work—specifically, the looming task of using the copy machine on January 2nd. Past experiences taught me that many teachers would be scrambling to make copies that morning, and I was stressed about whether the machine would be available.
Living just 15 minutes from school, I decided to ease my mind by heading to work on Christmas Eve to get the copies done. Armed with my teacher card, I entered the school and began making copies. The act immediately lifted a weight off my shoulders. Little did I know, I had inadvertently tripped a silent alarm by opening the door on Christmas Eve.
After about 25 minutes, I glanced outside from the copy room and saw a police officer. Rushing downstairs to explain the situation, I encountered the head janitor, who seemed to have been hastily summoned from bed. He yelled at me, demanding an explanation. Before I could say much, he instructed me to pack up and go home.
Apologizing to all involved, I headed home, ending a wild Christmas Eve adventure. Despite the unexpected turn of events, I felt better knowing I had the copies I needed for January 2nd. 😊
While the common advice for teachers during the holidays is to completely disconnect and enjoy the break, I’ve discovered that if I’m not prepared for the days ahead, my work brain continues to nag at me throughout the break. Even though the last thing I want to do before a long break is more work, I recognize that if I invest a day, half a day, or even just an hour to be prepared for when I return, it significantly enhances my overall enjoyment of the entire break. So, however you choose to prepare for your holiday break, I wish you all the very best and hope you can fully embrace the time with your families.
Wishing you all the best!
Ray
