While some universities choose to give students time off throughout the fall semester for students to catch up on work and sleep, the University of Connecticut powers through until Thanksgiving, giving students a week-long break for the holiday.
While some universities choose to give students time off throughout the fall semester for students to catch up on work and sleep, the University of Connecticut powers through until Thanksgiving, giving students a week-long break for the holiday.
This issue is divisive among the student body. Some students say they enjoy the current system in place at UConn. Katie Hooker, a fifth-semester microbiology major, said she enjoys the week-long break because UConn gives students a longer Thanksgiving break.
“I feel like I don’t need a week off in October like some schools do because we get the whole week for Thanksgiving, which is more than most,” Hooker said. “But, I would love a three-day weekend somewhere in October.”
Bridget Didona, a fifth-semester biological sciences and environmental science double major, said she prefers a longer Thanksgiving break as well. She said she does not feel another break during the fall semester is necessary.
“We already have a long Thanksgiving break, so I don’t see a need for another fall break during the semester,” Didona said.
Czara Mangahis, a fifth-semester mechanical engineering major, said she prefers UConn’s week-long break for Thanksgiving. She said she feels it is a better reset before the end of the semester.
“I like having the full week in November,” Mangahis said. “I just feel like it’s a better reset.”
Still, others prefer the system at some colleges and universities across the country. Thendral Nagarajan, a fifth-semester physiology and neurobiology major, said she would appreciate a break in the fall, especially when it begins to get extremely stressful.
“Yes, I would love a fall break because I feel like the fall gets extremely stressful, especially with seasonal depression setting in,” Nagarajan said.
Erin Hopkins, a fifth-semester nursing major, also said she would prefer a three-day weekend during the fall semester to break it up before winter break.
“I’m okay with our winter break, but I’d like a three-day weekend thrown into the semester,” Hopkins said.
Bazzle Coleman, a fifth-semester computer science and psychology major, said he would prefer a fall break, even if it took time away from Thanksgiving break. He said the semester could be rough before Thanksgiving break, and a fall break would make it easier to manage.
“A fall break would be nice because it’s a little rough going until Thanksgiving break,” Coleman said. “Even if it takes time away from Thanksgiving break because, at that point, it’s just like, ‘semester’s over, let’s get it done.’”
Jessica Cooper, a fifth-semester elementary education student, said she believes UConn should provide students with more breaks throughout the semester. She said a short break earlier in the semester could help students get reinvigorated, leading to happier and healthier students.
“There are many lessons to take away from the past couple of years, and one that I hope remains salient in the public consciousness is that humans can only handle so much. Simply having a short break in the early to mid-semester could be enough to give students a chance to relax and reinvigorate themselves to continue working at their best,” Cooper said. “UConn wants productive students, but it needs mentally and physically healthy ones.”