Should Fall Break Still Exist?

Daniel Griffin

Opinion Editor

With Fall Break somehow already in the rearview once again, students across the country are returning to their campuses to begin what can be a very daunting midterm season. Some receiving an entire week off for their Fall Break, such as Holy Cross, while others like the UMass system getting just the Monday, a question gone unanswered is whether or not students should be having a Fall Break? And even then, were students to have a fall break, how long should it be? Personally a believer in the need for student rest and reset, especially after working so hard for the first 6-8 weeks of their Fall semester, here’s a few reasons why a 4 day Fall Break like Assumption’s is necessary.

1. It provides students the comfort and space to really take their mind off of classes. Committing so much time and effort to their studies, especially with projects, quizzes, and exams constantly popping up just before and right after Fall Break, a 4 day Fall Break is the perfect amount of time to take your mind off of work. Not just the weekend, but also the Monday and Tuesday, this allows you as a student to “detox” from homework and the pressure of class with plenty of time to relax. Allowing you to rest up and reset, this amount of time for a Fall Break makes coming home relaxing and fun, not just thinking about what you need to do when you get back.
2. It gives you time to reconnect with home. Likely not seeing your hometown friends or your family for the first half of the semester, coming home for Fall Break it is difficult to see everyone in just a weekend. Simply unable to spend so much time with so many people while also needing the time to yourself, a 4 day Fall Break allows you to fully reconnect. Going back to the good old times and giving you nostalgic memories of the summer, 4 days allows you to see all parts of your circle, which feels really good.
3. It allows you to catch up on sleep and your health. As college students we tend to never get enough sleep. From late assignments to social activities, our sleep schedules are definitely altered by the time Fall Break rolls around. For this reason a nice and long 4 days is needed to fully help us correct. Giving you the time to sleep well, eat some good home cooked meals, and do all the things you may have struggled to do at school, Fall Break is necessary for recovery, rejuvenating you for the second half push of the semester.

Overall, I personally believe a 4 day Fall Break like Assumption’s is perfect for students. Not too long and not too short, this allows us all to step back for a moment, take our mind off of class, and really be excited to return for the short week of classes. All in all I am glad that we have our Fall Break and always look forward to taking advantage of it, always helping me be at my best for part 2 of the semester.