Fall Break is one of the few times in the semester where Mercyhurst students can rest after a difficult time in the semester. After midterms, many students experience burnout which makes the break feel like it’s at the right time. Also, for those with mini classes, final projects and exams weighed down these students’ schedules. Since students did not get to have fall break last year, this break makes students have time to adjust to their class work after midpoint. Whether it be preparing for mini classes in the second half of the semester, or starting to think of final essays, projects, and other work, while being able to go home or just take some time to relax.

However, sometimes I wonder about the amount of time students are given for fall break. The question at hand is: is Fall Break it long enough? Fall break sometimes can be spent traveling for hours, doing homework, studying for midterms after the break and other school obligations. Not to mention, if a student goes home to see family, they are spending most of their time between socializing, school and travel may not have time to relax for themselves. While that may not be necessary for everyone, students should be able to have time to do activities that they enjoy in order to prevent burnout. However, if fall break was longer than four days, it may result in students feeling unmotivated to return to school work. Rather than feeling burnout, students may have zero interest to returning to their studies as it gives them anxiety.

In terms of fall break, I always find it complicated. Of course, I’d love to have more time off to spend time with people, enjoy my time for myself and keep up with school, but the timing of midterms makes fall break being any longer seem wrong. With the semester still going, it makes me as a student feel like I wouldn’t prioritize my studies enough with all the free time that fall break gives me. Overall, I think that fall break is at the perfect time of the semester, but I can never come to a full conclusion about how much time we should have. As of right now, I think that it’s a perfect amount of time, since I recover from burnout, but don’t have too much anxiety over the remainder of the semester.