Every year, Ms. Strauss notices what activities students in the Library and Learning Center turn to when they need a break from school work.  Last year, chess was the top choice, and this year: puzzles!  You can always find at least two puzzles being worked on at any time in the library.  In the last two months, Ms. Strauss has had to add more to the collection due to student demand.  She says,  “I love puzzles myself, and there’s always one going when my family gets together for gatherings, but I never imagined they would be as popular as they have been this year with students.”

Ms. Strauss maybe shouldn’t be too surprised as just a few years ago the Covid-19 pandemic shot puzzle sales through the roof.   According to an NPR article, puzzle sales jumped 300% in spring 2020.  While the worst of the pandemic and sheltering at home may be over, once people rediscovered this relaxing past time, sales have remained steady.

At CDH, students gravitate towards puzzles for a variety of reasons.  Senior Erin Evans states, “For me, they help get my brain back to a good place when school and life gets overwhelming.”  Fellow senior Tommy Nicolo likes that puzzles “keep my mind moving and help me pay attention to details.”  He also enjoys that they’re an activity that promotes teamwork and companionship, even in silence.  Both Evans and Nicolo agree that puzzles are “definitely calming.”

Whether tackling a 1000 piece winter scene jigsaw puzzle over several days or knocking out a 200 piece Disney princess puzzle in one study hall period, it’s clear that puzzles are a popular and in demand way to unwind and relax in the library.