Bring Back Recess

On the first day of high school, we are handed a planner and are taught that our time is an investment. We learn that an hour of studying or working on a project results in a good grade. We begin to see leisure no longer as a priority, but as a distraction: time that could otherwise be spent productively. But at the same time, as we are pushed to hyper-optimize our schedules, we’re also being told to “make the most of our youth.” This critical imbalance once had a solution: recess. In elementary and middle school, recess was the time to play a horrible game of kickball or chat at the top of the monkey bars with your friends. Your recess could be spent playing a game of tag or writing a story inspired by Dog Man. In an already jarring transition from middle to high school, why are we losing a period that we valued so dearly? We don’t need another study hall or a lunch period spent studying; we need to bring back actual recess.

My fondest memories of “play” were from recess and summer camp, where there was never any guilt surrounding unproductive time. In fact, it was blissful. I could walk away from a game of pick-up gaga-ball thinking, “That was awesome. I can’t wait until tomorrow’s recess,” not, “I should have spent that time on my math homework.” In high school, time outside of school is directed towards product-based activities. You begin running to improve your fitness, or you take photos with your friends just to post on Instagram. And unfortunately, this isn’t just a side effect of the Stuyvesant school environment. When summer comes, the pressure of having a productive “outcome” continues. 

I am very passionate about visual art. I have done it all my life purely for enjoyment and self-expression. But this summer, after completing my first year at Stuyvesant, art felt different for me. Sitting down to draw, I felt a constant pressure to make a spectacular piece for my portfolio. While I drew, I would think, “How will this look to others?” or “How can I make this sketch into something that I could publish?” I could no longer use art to play because I was thinking of it as a tool. I know I’m not the only one. For many Stuyvesant students, clubs become about positions, volunteering about hours, and sports about leadership. It’s not because these things aren’t enjoyable; it’s just that the enjoyment alone doesn’t feel like it’s enough. We need a space where enjoyment is validated.

 Unlike your average free period, recess is a time for students to have fun being bad at something. In middle school, one of my favorite games at recess was “wall ball.” My friends and I were terrible at wall ball, but that didn’t matter to us. Every day, you could find us with 30 other ballers, shrieking with laughter when we made a mistake and whooping energetically when any of us had a small win.

A lot of us lose the opportunity to be bad at things during high school. Demanding coursework limits our time, and many students will sacrifice a hobby if it doesn’t have a tangible payout. A Harvard Magazine study defined this phenomenon as ‘teen grind culture’—a constant need to feel productive and accomplished, even at the expense of your own health. A Common Sense Media study found that over half of American teens feel the pressure to have their future life path figured out—including college, careers, and relationships—with roughly half of teens also reporting feeling the need to be exceptional in their achievements like grades, jobs, or extracurriculars.

High schoolers already have their lunch periods and free time. Some might ask, “Why would another free make a difference?” Especially at Stuy, many students use their free time to study and complete assignments. During most periods, you can find students racing off to get a spot in the library, or hunched over computers on the bridge and in bathroom stalls. But the difference between a free period and recess is that recess is truly a break. Your body and mind step away from homework, devices, and consuming thoughts surrounding grades and school. High schools need recess because it gives kids permission to enjoy something without the need for a productive outcome, and the time to be bad at something without feeling like they wasted it.

Yes, our school has room for improvement, but we also have a lot going for us. I have had many memorable experiences here where I have gotten to play and experiment. For example, many gym classes are relocated outdoors during the spring to accommodate AP testing. I remember spending gym periods racing fellow students on the grass, laughing with new friends on a park bench, and watching a memorable game of class frisbee. I have also seen this playfulness in class, like with our Freshman Composition Shakespeare assignment. Students got seriously into character and had a great time experimenting with something new. Our school is also unique for our annual SING! tradition, which inspires a friendly rivalry between grades and lets students participate in many areas, including costumes, lighting, or set design. All these experiences show how well Stuy has already been able to incorporate playfulness into its culture. But part of what makes these experiences so memorable is that they are rare.

 Despite the importance of leisure, it is unrealistic to expect students to prioritize it without help. If students already use their free time to do homework, go on their phones, and study, giving them more unstructured time won’t solve anything. We need to bring back recess. Start treating it like a real class period. 45 minutes a day, no devices or textbooks allowed. Take students to the park or to the school gym with the simple directive to have fun. For much of our lives, recess gave us a freedom we couldn’t find anywhere else. Now, we’ve lost it, and it’s up to us to get it back.