Spring break is almost three weeks away, but students have yet to complete even two weeks of classes. After the University of Mississippi was forced to close following the catastrophic Winter Storm Fern that severely affected Oxford, many students and parents began to ask: What will become of our beloved spring break?
On Feb. 6, UM quieted calendrical fears with a Facebook update stating “the university worked with the U.S. Department of Education to adjust the academic calendar, allowing for a shortened semester,” ultimately saying that spring break is here to stay.
While some students and parents remain worried about missed curriculum or rushed lessons later in the semester, I believe this decision was ultimately the right one.
For many students, spring break is a sacred occasion planned months in advance. Students use time to travel with friends and family, work, serve their communities or simply relax. Personally, I will be traveling to Texas to attend the Houston Rodeo. My boyfriend and I have even snagged front-row seats for the night Creed will be performing.
I, along with many others, have already booked flights, hotels, event tickets and more for this trip. Since many of these purchases are expensive and non-refundable, I find that if the university were to have canceled spring break, many students would likely have skipped their classes rather than lose their money, resulting in frustration and poor attendance across campus.
Freshman Molly Kate Cuthbertson, an international studies major from Columbus, Miss., plans to spend her spring break in Guatemala on a mission trip.
“It’s been planned for a while, and I have already raised my support for it,” Cuthbertson said. “I wasn’t happy when I heard the break might get canceled because I have been looking forward to this for a while.”
Like countless other students, canceling the break would have required her to forfeit her long-awaited plans.
Regardless of whether or not students have plans for the break, it remains an important aspect of student well-being.
A break from classes can be essential for the mental health of many, as it provides time to rest after weeks of academic stress and prevents burnout.
Now, after this devastating ice storm, spring break is especially beneficial for those who were trapped in Oxford without power for days and need time to fully relax.
Though many continue to fret about missing an excessive amount of schoolwork, eliminating spring break would have created more problems than it would have solved.
It allows for students and faculty alike to get some long-needed relaxation. As we adjust to returning to school, I am grateful that spring break will remain a chance for students to rest and recoup before finishing the semester strong.
MacKenzie McDaries is a freshman Arabic and political science major from Murfreesboro, Tenn.
