School feels empty

The school feels empty, which seems a bit ridiculous to say as there is still two months of classes left. Our seniors are gone, for the most part, and you wouldn't believe what losing a quarter of the students does for the feel of the school. Why, you wonder, are the seniors gone? I know I've mentioned it before but students are allowed to miss 45 days of school (a full 1/4 of the total school days)and since the seniors are all preparing for the OSS, the large national exam that determines if they go to a public university in Turkey, they take those days at the end of the year and focus on studying for that exam. It seems a bit ridiculous, but there are some things that are so entrenched in the system you don't ever see them changing. So, for the time being, senior teachers are rejoicing the reduction in class load, we're all enjoying the quieter school and hey, I guess that means I've only got 45 days of teaching left.