Spring break is here! With all the excitement this week of rest can bring, the editors of The Equinox ponder if one week for the whole spring semester of Keene State College is enough of a break.
The middle of the spring semester is a point of relaxation from classes which can lead many to burnout. These are the only days off during the spring semester besides Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which we do not count because it is directly after winter break. While the week off in the fall semester comes after the midpoint, there are other days off. These days are Labor Day, Fall Break Day and Veterans Day.
We feel the spring semester could use a few more days off on top of the break in the middle. These days off, dubbed “Hootie Days” should be planned out so students will be able to prepare to make plans on how to maximize their relaxation. Having a few of these days off spread out through the semester could possibly keep students inclined to work harder. If students are too burnt out they will not be able to be as productive as they or their professors hope.
Alternatively, we believe another week off during the spring semester could also work to reduce the burn out of the spring semester. An approach can be taken where one week in February and one week in April is reserved as a week off in the semester. This is a tactic employed by many high schools, so it is not something revolutionary.
We see how this may cause some problems, however. Having two weeks off with no compromise would ultimately be detrimental to the students of Keene State College. We understand a price would have to be paid in order to receive such a reward, and frankly we propose a solution as well.
Our proposal would be to take one of the weeks away from winter break and place it into the spring semester. Winter break can last up to over a month long, which is not much necessary for a break. Starting the spring semester a week after New Year’s would be fine. Many high schools restart their schedules days after New Year’s, we think college students can be mature enough to handle one week after. This would also lead to Martin Luther King Jr. Day to be a more noticeable day off as school would have started a week prior.
We think moving this extra week into the spring semester would be more beneficial for the students of Keene State College. The students have a chance to be less burnt out and to have a break that is not too long or too short, but just right. We feel this is what is best and most fair for them. Aiming for a more balanced approach to days off is best because a break that is too long can lead to students forgetting material and a break that is too short can lead to not having burnout be reduced even a little bit.
However you feel about spring break, the editors of The Equinox hope that yours is as relaxing as you wish it to be. Enjoy your break, we will be happy to be read by you again soon.
