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Spring break at Connecticut College and plenty of other universities across the nation has been cancelled in order to limit the spread of COVID-19 from students travelling back and forth. Already, popular locations for spring break like Miami and Fort Lauderdale have implemented restrictions for the upcoming spring break to further prevent a surge of cases from students traveling. While this decision is understandable given the circumstances, breaks can be safe and should still be allowed—with a pandemic, mental breaks are more than necessary. Breaks are a time for students to relax in the middle of a stressful semester, so how will the absence of one affect the wellbeing of students?
As The Chronicle states, “If students need breaks under normal circumstances, it stands to reason they especially need them now.” Even though students at Conn had a longer winter break, that still doesn’t address the need for a break in the spring semester; balance is important between work and rest in order to prevent overdrive and burnout. Moreover, the College has come up with an alternative called “college community day,” with a total of two days off: March 10th and April 27th. During these days, campus activities and events will be continued as planned. While one or two weeks off would be preferable, shorter breaks are better than nothing and can still be helpful. According to research done by the American Psychological Association on the types and lengths of breaks necessary for our wellbeing, taking shorter breaks can still effectively improve one’s mental health and allow time for self-care. Short breaks are beneficial for improving our attention for class and other obligations on campus, allowing students to get back into a routine that is hard to maintain.
The need for some sort of break has led to other universities to come up with inventive and safe ways to offer breaks for students, such as the implementation of “wellness days” at Penn State. While there is no definite plan yet of what a wellness day entails, the main goal is to address the mental health of students by offering shorter breaks throughout the semester. Harvard also introduced “wellness days” to replace their own spring break. Specifically, their plan is to “schedule [wellness days] roughly every other week,” with activities throughout the days for students such as yoga and movie nights. Last semester, Davidson College created a successful plan to make up for no fall break, introducing “surprise days.” These “surprise days” allow students to relax while also minimizing the spread of coronavirus through travel since these days off are last minute. While this seems like a step in the right direction, reactions from students have varied from positive to negative. Some students argued that one day in the middle of the week sprinkled throughout the semester is not enough, while other students believe that these days would be beneficial. Conn student Caitlin Boyd ‘24 thinks that having a couple of days off would be“ great for catching up on homework,” however “it is not enough to give the members of our community a chance to relax and take time off from their work.”
Overall, it is important to remember that this semester is a hard and stressful time for everyone. You are not alone. It is important to take care of yourself and be mindful of how you’re feeling throughout the semester, and be mindful of resources on campus, such as student counseling services. The good news is that we are halfway through the semester, so good job and you got this!
