A roar of cheers erupted at All-School Meeting (ASM) last week as Dr. Kington waved the famous blue hat that announced the fated date of Head of School Day (HOSD). My friends and I excitedly cheered along with everyone else, and I started looking forward to enjoying an extra day to relax.
For the past several weeks, people have been speculating when HOSD would be, constantly making predictions. As speculations built up, people continued to anticipate the day with eagerness, and when HOSD was finally announced, the emotional build-up was released. People were ecstatic about the day off, but as the atmosphere of contentment started to wear off, I realized how ineffective it was to have an unpredictable day off. Although it was apparent that the element of spontaneity had added more to the excitement, there would be far more benefits to allowing the student body to vote for when the day should be.
At a rigorous school like Andover, having a day off to relax during Winter Term, especially during a week filled with majors, can benefit many people. Although it’s impossible to accommodate every single person’s schedule, it’s still important that our busy lives are taken into account. Students had hoped that HOSD would be on the day when they needed it the most, but sometimes, the days that had been filled with hope went by like a normal day because no one could guarantee the exact date until Dr. Kington officially announced HOSD. If students had an opportunity to vote, we could have a day off during a week when the extra time can be of most use to the majority of the school. Also, knowing when HOSD is would reduce stress for students because it will give everyone more time to plan out schedules before majors better, since we tend to worry about and prepare for them multiple days in advance.
Another benefit to integrating a voting system into HOSD is that it allows students to plan their travel plans with their families more comfortably without the last-minute rush. On longer weekends, many return home to be with family and friends, and knowing about the day off in advance will be beneficial to all families. Even those who may not be able to return home or have their family visit on slightly extended weekends can benefit from having extra time to plan ahead for their weekend, whether it’s a group study session in the library, or going downtown with friends.
One possible method for an effective voting system would be allowing students to vote for HOSD every Friday for the Winter Term via an online poll. If over 50 percent of the school votes for the following Monday, then it can officially be announced as the day off. It’s also important to consider that the student body may not be able to decide on a specific Monday off by majority vote, so in that case, HOSD can happen on a predetermined Monday that’s closer towards the end of the term. This method can provide an effective and efficient way to allow students to have control over having a day off during their busy weeks.
As we consider how HOSD should be decided on next year, we should think about the fact that despite there being positives to receiving the spontaneity of the event during ASM, if we get to vote for what date we have off, it will bring many more benefits to the most students.
