'I plan to do a lot during the holiday'

The holidays are coming. It's the end of the school year and students are busy planning how to spend the one-month holiday. Rafting, camping, traveling and shopping are among the various options available. But some students will still have to study during the break to catch up with their lessons, while some, due to financial constraints, prefer to take alternative activities that are less costly. Here are some responses as told to The Jakarta Post.

Tantia, 16, is a first year student of a state-run senior high school in Setiabudi, South Jakarta. She lives in Kalibata, South Jakarta, with her family:

Probably I will go to Bandung, West Java, with my friends and stay at my grandfather's house. I will spend a couple of days there.

I might allocate some Rp 600,000 to buy clothes because clothes in Bandung are cheap and of good quality. I won't miss the opportunity to go shopping there.

After that, I plan to join a drawing and painting course for a week. I am fond of drawing and through the course I will learn a lot.

Well, I have to pay a lot for the lessons. I have to pay Rp 350,000 for 12 one-hour sessions.

I don't have any other plans. Maybe I will spend the rest of the holidays at home.

Usually I don't ask for pocket money from my parents unless I really need it.

Doni, 16, is a first-year student at a state-run senior high school in Bukit Duri, South Jakarta. He lives in Bintaro, South Jakarta, with his family:

I will only have two weeks off despite the one-month holiday because I will be busy catching up with my lessons. I have to take another test to improve my grades before entering my second year. Frankly speaking, I am one of the unlucky students who received an unsatisfactory grade in science.

I will have to take extra lessons for about two weeks before taking the test.

I'm sure the remaining two weeks of the holidays will give me enough time to have fun to relieve the stress of schoolwork.

Actually I plan to do a lot of things during the holidays. As a member of the committee for leadership training for the next student council, I will be busy preparing the transportation and the venue.

Then I will go rafting and camping. For rafting in West Java, I have paid around Rp 140,000 while for the camping, I won't have to pay because I will join other students.

The most interesting activity is the summer camp dance in Puncak, West Java. It is a one-week program to learn modern and traditional dances. Unfortunately, it is so expensive that I'm afraid my parents could not afford it. It costs more than Rp 1 million. I don't think I could ask my parents for that much money for only a one-week program.

Well, it would be better for me to spend the rest of the holidays hunting subject matter for photography. It's far more fun and it's valuable to develop my skills. Besides I won't need so much money.

Andreas, 18, is a second-year student of a private senior high school in Jl. Brawijaya, South Jakarta. He lives on Jl. Gelora, Central Jakarta, with his family:

I don't have any plans to go on a trip during the holidays. I admit that I am not in a good state at the moment. I mean to say that I'm upset because I failed some subjects. I did not pass the test to enter the third year. So I have to repeat the year.

During the holidays, I think I have to study to catch up with my lessons.

My only plan is to join an intensive course in martial arts. I will take part in the Tae Kwon Do championship among the senior high school students here.

I'm sure I will be very busy with that and it will take up all my time and energy.

I don't have the guts to ask my parents for money, especially for my holidays. My father is just an ojek (motorcycle) driver who doesn't earn much.

-- Leo Wahyudi S